The Pull of His Gravity, Part Two
by phaedraphelan
Summary: Sherlock and Joan try to meet the challenge of their deepening personal relationship and keep up with demands of their detective work. Now the issue of Sherlock's health looms before them. How will they meet this challenge?
1. Chapter 1

**"The Pull of His Gravity" Part Two, Chapter 1**

 **By phaedraphelan**

 **Summary: Sherlock and Joan are working on cases as they adjust to being a couple in the fullest sense of the word. As mature people, realizing that they have found the defining relationship of their lives, the effect is profound.**

 **Disclaimer: "Elementary" is the artistic property of CBS and no infringement is intended.**

 **Sherlock watched Joan walking toward him to meet him on lower Broadway and his heart came into his mouth as he was struck by how beautiful she was these days. Her long hair was covered with a favorite beret, but long tendrils framed her face in which her clear skin only emphasized her bright red lips and dramatic dark eyes. He came toward her and caught her by her arm and they continued to walk together.**

 **"My God, Joan, you look stunning these days. I have never seen you look more lovely. You must tell me . . . have you taken another lover?" He teased.**

 **"Why would I take another lover when I have found the love of my life?" Joan said, blushing as she looked up at him, which only added to the glow in her aspect these days since they had come together as man and woman.**

 **They stopped in the street with people passing on either side of them and they kissed right there . . . so passionately that even the jaded New Yorkers passing by had to steal a glance and smile.**

 **Their recently solved Brunell** **case that had involved Joan being held hostage for nearly a whole day by the distraught father of a murder victim had been very unsettling to Sherlock, reminding him of his feelings when she was kidnapped by Le Milieu three years earlier. When Gregson brought Joan back to him in the brownstone that night, Sherlock was a basket case. He had feverishly worked the case with Marcus Bell all day, not allowing himself to think of what could possibly happen to her, but when the case was resolved and he got the call from Gregson that Joan was fine, he couldn't stop the tears that came or the painful cramping in the pit of his stomach.**

 _ **"Well, I am delivering your woman to you, Sherlock. You two should feel free to make yourself scarce for a few days. Call me when you're ready to come back to work."**_

 _ **"Thank you, Tommy," Sherlock said gratefully.**_

 _ **Sherlock had caught Joan up in his arms as soon as she came into his sight and after holding herself together throughout the ordeal, Joan had broken down in tears. Neither of them heard anything else from Gregson as he quietly exited the brownstone.**_

 _ **"Dear God, Joan, I am thankful that you are safe. I was so worried."**_

 _ **Sherlocks knees suddenly sagged under him and he went pale.**_

 _ **"Damn! I'm feeling ill. I'm so sorry . . . I just was so worried . . . so worried."**_

 _ **When Sherlock began to gag ominously, Joan helped him to the bathroom where he promptly vomited the contents of his stomach as she held him.**_

 _ **"I am all right, Sherlock. It's all right."**_

 _ **"But I could have lost you! What would I have done if I lost you?"**_

 _ **"Come, let's go to bed, Sherlock. I am so totally exhausted."**_

 _ **Joan led him to the bedroom they shared now, undressed him and helped him into bed. Then she moved to go get cleaned up from her ordeal.**_

 _ **"Please don't leave me tonight. Just come and just be 'with me' tonight."**_

 ** _joan climbed into bed with him and they fell asleep instantly in each other's arm_ s. **

**Now after the resolution of that case, they were finding it difficult to be apart for even a short time without becoming anxious. And when they were together the powerful need they had for each other came upon them sometimes without warning.**

 **"My darling, we're going to have to find some place to be together for a while this afternoon," Sherlock whispered into Joan's ear. "I have this sudden indescribable urge to have congress with you, lassie."**

 **"Sherlock, we told Gregson that we would meet back at the precinct within an hour."**

 **"I think that we will be late for our rendezvous with the captain."**

 **Sherlock's hand found its place low on Joan's back as they walked along together toward the nearby entrance to a familiar small boutique hotel on the corner and stepped into the well-appointed lobby. Sherlock went to the desk and registered the two of them. Then he took Joan by the hand and they went up to the room together.**

 **As they rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor, Sherlock took Joan into his arms and kissed her passionately over and over. He was so taken with her that his heart was pounding in his chest.**

 **"I need you so, woman. Please indulge me my desire to be your consort this afternoon. I am like a horny adolescent today. The sight of you has me completely undone."**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, baby . . . baby," she murmured as her hands found their way inside his jacket to snuggle close to his warmth.**

 **Sherlock ushered her into the small, but well-appointed suite. Then he walked to the bed and tossed the heavy spread aside and drew back the crisp clean sheets while Joan shed her clothes till she was wearing nothing but her underthings. She did not play the coquette with Sherlock when he needed her this badly. She knew why they were in that hotel room and so she prepared to give herself to him. When she turned her attention to Sherlock, he was fumbling with his shirt buttons as he stared at her with such hunger that she blushed.**

 **"Will you undress me, luv. I am suddenly all thumbs here. My hands are shaking so. I find myself so in need to 'fornicate under consent of the king,'" Sherlock said, referring to the euphemism that Joan understood to communicate the urgency of his need."**

 **"Baby, I'll take care of you. You know that I will," she said as she unbuttoned his shirt, removed it, kissed his muscular chest, and then rubbed the short crisp ruddy hair on his head that was just growing back in after Everyone had made him shave his head in payment for the information he needed to free Joan.**

 **"You love to do that, don't you?"**

 **"I love your head, with or without hair. I love both of them," she said using her own double entendre that Sherlock also understood.  
**

 **Then Joan pushed his trousers down, freeing him completely from them, so that she could attend to him. She was shocked to see that his testicles were** **heavy again so soon and that he was experiencing such a powerful erection. They had been together In the early morning hours, but he was obviously ready again to spill into her. Joan was constantly astonished at the rebounding nature of Sherlock's sexual power. The thought of him spurting into her caused her own parts to contract involuntarily in preparation for him.**

 **Sherlock slipped his feet from his shoes and Joan knelt to remove his trousers and boxers completely. Then she kissed him all the way up his slender yet muscular legs and embraced him around his hips. Joan relished the fresh smell of sandalwood soap from his early morning shower mingled with his own rich manly scent as she kissed all the length of him.**

 **"Oh, Joan!" Sherlock cried out as he staggered back onto the bed as Joan gripped him around his thighs and continued to kiss him as he writhed in ecstasy upon the bed till he began to lose his semen in spurt after upward spurt, while he feverishly pulled her hair hair loose so that it fell down onto her shoulders.**

 **"Joan . . . Joan, luv! Oh, Jesus, I'm undone!" He cried out as his hips contracted in spasm after spasm till his ejaculation finished.**

 **"It's all right. I know there is more where that came from," Joan said, smiling, and well aware of Sherlock's capacity to recharge quickly.**

 **"Yes, you do know me, better than any woman has ever known me."**

 **Sherlock drew Joan up onto him and placed her on her back on the bed, stripped her underthings away and then gave himself to kissing her all over her breasts and belly, murmuring all the words of love to her that had been running through his mind all morning.**

 **"God, Joan! I see you and all I can think about is how I need your arms around me, your flesh holding mine, the sound of you in ecstasy saying "yes" to me over and over as I ravish you. And you always say 'yes' to me. Please always say 'yes' to me. I don't know what I would do if you were to turn me down. I guess that is what held me back from declaring myself for such a long time. You know all my flaws, my terrible weakness . . . and I feared rejection."**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, you know I will always say 'yes' to you," Joan whispered as Sherlock continued to kiss her all over her neck and then her soft breasts and then finally her belly.**

 **Joan was completely excited by the thought of being with Sherlock again. Despite the Brit's seemingly ascetic nature she had come to know the passion pent up in him that could be unleashed from the moment they first came together sexually. Kisses which at first were almost tentative and tender, would quickly become hungry and unrestrained, and when he made love to her, Joan would swoon as he became like a wild horse on her, snorting and grunting with each powerful thrust.**

 **"Please, luv . . ." Sherlock begged Joan.**

 **"Oh, Yes, yes! I can't get enough of you."**

 **Then Sherlock got onto her and they began to reach for the summit together, Sherlock easing into Joan, well aware of his tremendous girth and not wanting to injure her.**

 **"You know you won't hurt me, Sherlock. Take me, baby!"**

 **"Joan . . . Yes, Joan," Sherlock groaned as she easily stretched open for him and they found their rhythm together. "Oh, God, woman! Yes! Yes!"**

 **"Oh, Sherlock . . . baby! Yes, baby!" Joan cried out as her body completely accepted him.**

 **He was on top of her, thrusting deep into her over and over, growling and grunting and snorting the way that he so often did, filling her so completely that the marvelous friction drove them into a wildly intense rapture as they kissed the deep kisses of a man and woman passionately in love, moaning, murmuring each other's names along with every known term of endearment that came to their minds.**

 **"Ooh! Ooo, Sherlock, my Sherlock! Baby! Yes!"**

 **"Joan . . . my sweetheart . . . woman! Woman!"**

 **The climax seized Joan's pelvis suddenly and she groaned and gasped as her body went rigid in the seizure.**

 **"Sherlock! Ooh! Ooh!"**

 **"Joan . . . I love you . . need you. Oh, God, Joan!" Sherlock cried out as he felt her spasms and his own testicles seemed to explode when he spilled into her.**

 **Then Joan surrendered in his arms as Sherlock held her tightly to his wildly beating heart, kissing her again and again as they slipped into the afterglow.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock," Joan whispered, swooning, "I saw stars in your arms. Please hold me tight, love. Don't stop holding me for a minute."'**

 **"I promise. I will hold you forever . . . forever," Sherlock said in her ear as he kissed her ear lobe and then sucked it gently as they lay naked in each other's arms. "I am so in love with you, Joan. I see you and I remember the touch of you, the scent of your body, of your hair and I want you again. I felt as if I would burst from my trousers earlier. I just suddenly needed you so badly. My flesh . . . I was aching so for you. I have always been in control of my flesh, Joan, but since coming to terms with my feelings for you, the urge for coitus with you comes so strong upon me at times that I can but yield to it."**

 **"I know . . . I feel the same passionate urges. I am constantly in need. I feel like a wild woman when I see you and . . . I want you. . . every time you want me I want you, Sherlock."**

 **Joan's parts gripped him again and Sherlock cried out in response "Oh, Joan . . . Joan! Yes! Yes!"**

 **And they were gone again, caught up in the rhythm of coitus, reaching for the climax again.**

 **When Sherlock wakened later in the afternoon, his urges had been quelled. Joan lay cuddled against him, her face still flushed from their passionate afternoon, her long hair lying all over him, her full breasts nestled up against his chest. Sherlock kissed Joan awake and she stretched and smiled at him, causing his essence to spill from her and run down her thighs onto the bed.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, I am so full of you," Joan murmured as she gave him that look of mutual knowledge they often shared since becoming intimate.**

 **Sherlock just rubbed his hand against her thighs and they fell open for him. When that happened, Sherlock was done for. He fell upon the fragrant wetness there and they were lost in each other again as he inhaled her. Then Sherlock drew her up onto him, kissing her all over her face and lips as he slipped inside her once more, rocking more gently than at first, but still powerfully and definitely in the rhythm of sexual connection.**

 **"Oh, Sher . . . lock, baby! Ooh!" Joan cried out as she began to tremble on the verge of being taken To the summit again. "Ooh . . . Ooh!"**

 **"Take it easy, luv, I'm takin' care of you."**

 **Sherlock thrust himself all the way inside her up against her cervix and held her tightly in place there as Joan fluttered like a pinioned butterfly in his arms, her deepest parts quivering in response to the direct pressure of his member upon her cervix as her orgasm swept her in a brilliant display of exploding blue lights in her brain that caused her whole body to seize in a powerful spasm. Sherlock watched her eyes roll back into her head the moment it** **began.**

 **"Sher . . . Sher . . .lock!"**

 **"Oh, God! Sweetheart! Luv!" Sherlock's voice broke as his whole body went rigid in same moment when he began to ejaculate again. "Dear God! Aargh!"**

 **"Sherlock . . . Please, baby . . . Please. . . Oooh, ooooh!" Joan cried out as her orgasm peaked and merged with Sherlock's own just before she melted in surrender in Sherlock's embrace in complete capitulation.**

 **"Yes, yes! Oh, God ! Yes! Luv . . . luv. . . my sweet woman," Sherlock gasped as they lay still connected with Sherlock kissing her all over her face.**

 **Finally they came back to their senses and began to try to pull themselves together with difficulty. They could not move from their position of connection, but lay still joined for several minutes, sinking into the afterglow of what they had shared.**

 **"I think that we are going to have to try to go find the captain, luv. I sense that he may be looking for us from the recent calls on my phone."**

 **Sherlock had checked his phone and had seen that there were several messages from Gregson within the hour. Joan moved to slip out of bed but Sherlock reached for her and drew her back into his arms and kissed her tenderly upon her lips as they lay naked in each other's arms in the sumptuous bed that had become a cocoon of pleasure for them on this day.**

 **"Thank you for being with me, Joan. I don't know what I did with myself before I found you. I was so incredibly lonely . . . always wanting and needing, but viewing coitus as simply exercise with no emotional input, no attachment. I have only come to know what true sexual communion is with you, what it means when a man an a woman come together this way."**

 **Sherlock trailed his finger tips around Joan's dainty nipples and then bent to kiss and suckle as his hands squeezed her hips and then gently rubbed and then finally smacked her shapely bottom in a gesture that very definitely asserted his ownership of her hind parts.**

 **"You like to smack my behind, don't you?"**

 **"Yes, I do. I love to smack your hind parts, woman," Sherlock confessed. "Because I know this belongs to me," he said gently squeezing her shapely hips. "Not your mind, not that fantastic brain that intrigues and challenges me every day. But this," he said patting her bottom gently, "is mine. You gave it to me, luv. Do you want to take it back?"**

 **"No, I will never take it back. It's yours. I gave it freely to you, Sherlock, when I gave you my heart."**

 **Sherlock's eyes filled at those words from Joan, overcome with emotion.**

 **"My heart was yours from the first day we met. I fought it, but in my own heart I knew that I was drawn to you as to no other person in my life."**

 **Joan traced around his lips so with her index finger and then let the back of her hand rub against the scruff of his beard as they gazed into each other's eyes for a very long moment.**

 **"I don't want to leave this room today, Joan. I want to lie here with you, touching you, kissing you. Don't you want to get into that lovely shower together?"**

 **Joan nodded and they got up from the bed and went into the deluxe bathroom with its Italian marble walk-in shower and turned the hot water on full force at first. Then they turned the water to warm and reduced the pressure as they lovingly washed each other. Finally Sherlock pushed Joan gently up against the tiled wall of the shower and when she wrapped her legs around him, Sherlock groaned as he came deep into her in one powerful motion, connecting them as one again. Joan gasped and sighed as they joined this way, kissing and kissing under the warm shower of water spraying down on them. They gradually slid down to the floor of the shower where they continued to move in the age old rhythm of coitus till they were both crying in the throes of the intense pleasure in their connection to each other..**

 **"Oh, Sherlock . . . baby . . .baby," Joan moaned, her body caught in the spasms of climax as Sherlock became tender with her kissing her all over her face.**

 **"I love you, woman. I love you so much. I never knew . . . it was never like this for me. Oh, God, God! Aargh!" Sherlock cried out as his ejaculation came in spurt after spurt.**

 **Finally they rinsed themselves off, staggered from the shower, dried each other and fell back into bed, exhausted from lovemaking. There was nothing else they could do but sleep.**

 **When Joan wakened, she was amused to see Sherlock hurriedly getting into his boxers, trying to push his still excited member into them so that he could accept a plate of sandwiches from room service.**

 **Sherlock turned to face her and she just smiled and giggled at the sight of her man with his hair just growing back in, his beard growing out, his chest and back marked with her long passion scratches, some days old and healed and some bright red and fresh, his blue green eyes still full of the memory of their afternoon tryst.**

 **"You're laughing, luv."**

 **"You are such a beautiful man this afternoon. . . all nude, and very tattooed. I do really love you like this."**

 **Joan reached for Sherlock's shirt to cover herself but Sherlock held on to it.**

 **"Please don't cover yourself, luv. Be fair with me. You know I love to gaze at you," Sherlock said as his eyes took in her naked state. "You are the most beautiful woman i have ever known."**

 **Joan let go of his shirt and came to him to kiss him tenderly on his lips. They simply stared at each other and kissed again and again, their nostrils flaring as desire for each other surged in them powerfully and captured them.**

 **"You think of everything. I am so hungry," she said later as she took a bite of half of the corned beef sandwich Sherlock had ordered for them and offered a bite to Sherlock. "I think I should cover myself because I don't think we will get out of this hotel room this afternoon if I don't."**

 **"You know that I find myself totally entranced with you, Joan Watson. I think that we should tell Gregson that we are unable to report today. All I want to think about is your lovely pudenda. Please don't cover yourself from my eyes."**

 **"He doesn't know that we are on a marathon."**

 **"I dare say he has figured things out. He thinks that we are going to marry, Joan. We had that conversation last week. I told him that I am in love with you."**

 **"What do you think? Is that what you want, Sherlock?"**

 **"I want no one else but you. I am prepared to be faithful. I have no desire for any other woman other than you, Joan Watson. Would you be willing to consider me?"**

 **"Yes, I would."**

 **"Thank you, luv."**

 **They both stopped for a long moment, dwelling on the import of the words that Sherlock had just uttered.**

 **Sherlock and Joan continued to share the sandwich, feeding each other the crispy French fries he had ordered from The deli nearby and chasing all of it with liberal swigs of Dr. Brown's cream soda as they lay naked in the sumptuous bed.**

 **After they finished eating, they both fell sound asleep from pure sexual exhaustion and it was dark when Sherlock wakened, with Joan sleeping on his chest, her ebony locks flowing over him. He moaned softly to himself and drew her even closer enclosing her in the warmth of his embrace.**

 **Joan murmured his name in her sleep and snuggled closer to him as she felt his arms tighten around her. Sherlock's flesh stiffened at her embrace and he gasped and touched her thighs so that they fell apart in response to his gentle probing.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock . . . Sherlock," Joan moaned softly as he had his way with her, searching, rubbing and touching her.**

 **"Ooh! Ooh! Sherlock!" Joan cried out helplessly, half asleep.**

 **"Please forgive me, luv. I love you . . . love that I am your man, that you will consider me."**

 **Sherlock eased Joan down onto his ready member and she groaned out loud and her eyes opened wide when his length penetrated her up to the hilt.**

 **"Oh, God! Ooh, Sherlock! Ooh . . . Ooh!" Joan wailed as she began to move upon him in the rhythm of coitus.**

 **Tears filled Sherlock's eyes as he felt the comfort of Joan's flesh once again. He rocked with Joan, thrusting up into her warm flesh, possessing her mouth in kiss after kiss. Joan held on to him, rocking with him, giving him back thrust for every thrust, till Sherlock took them both to climax again before they slipped into sleep again.**

 **The next morning it was Joan who wakened first. She always let Sherlock sleep since he so often found sleep difficult to come. She stretched against his muscled body, enjoying the way her body felt after having coitus with Sherlock nearly a dozen times in a twenty-four hour period. She was still warm inside, her body so turned on by him that she could only cling to him as she vibrated inside.**

 **"Sherlock . . ." Joan whispered into his ear**

 **"Umm . . . Joan," Sherlock answered sleepily.**

 **"We never went home yesterday . . . couldn't get out of this bed."**

 **"I didn't want to leave this," Sherlock said, patting her hip affectionately. "I love you to distraction, woman."**

 **Sherlock and Joan finally pulled themselves together, ordered breakfast from room service and fed each other warm scrambled eggs and toast along with cups of perfect hot black tea as they sat on the rumpled bed.**

 **Sherlock found himself staring at Joan's unfettered breasts as they floated free under her sweater, glad that she had not decided to put her bra back on. Then his eyes met Joan's and she saw his need, his desire burning there as his nostrils flared wide in arousal. Her eyes dropped to his groin where his boxers were already completely distended and she felt the unmistakable heat in the pit of her own belly.**

 **"We are to meet the captain at 11:00. That is three hours from now," Sherlock said quietly. "I imagine that I can give you at least three flights of fancy in that time. I think that is what you need today, luv."**

 **Joan flushed and smiled at him.**

 **"Take those silly shorts off. And lie back so your doctor can examine you."**

 **"Your wish is my command," Sherlock said as he pushed his shorts down and off, revealing fully the state he was in, fully comfortable with his own nakedness..**

 **"My God, Sherlock!"**

 **Joan was struck at the sight of his massive erection. Since they had become intimate sexually and Joan realized Sherlock to be so at ease with his nakedness, she found the sight of his aroused genitalia most beautiful. His member was huge and thick, all the way from root to tip, and intact, and in his state of excitement his member lifted up so high that, his heavy rust colored testicles at the root of his organ were clearly revealed. And now its mushroom shaped bright red head pushed up from its foreskin.**

 **"I'm in pathetic shape here."**

 **"Beautifully pathetic, Sherlock," Joan said as she caught him tenderly in her hand and applied the pressure that brought cries of ecstasy from his lips.**

 **"Oh, Jesus Christ, Joan!"**

 **Joan released him and stripped off her sweater and then her panties and lay back facing him with her knees demurely together. But Sherlock leaned forward and touched her closed knees with just the tips of his fingers and they fell open to him revealing her own swollen genitalia.**

 **"I can't help myself, Sherlock. I wanted you from the beginning. I tried to find substitutes-dating services, Andrew, but nothing was able to quell the desire I had to be your woman."**

 **Sherlock gasped and snorted like a wild horse and drew Joan into his arms and kissed her over and over so passionately that he took Joan's breath away as he rubbed and squeezed her all over her body. They were gone, lost in their passions as they groaned and gasped at the intensity of what they were feeling. The Sherlock got onto her and they came together quickly.**

 **"Oh, God! Joan! Joan!" Sherlock cried out as he found the depths of her and began to thrust with all his power. "I can't get enough of you, Joanie! Aagh! Aaagh!"**

 **"Ooh! Ooooh!" Joan moaned with each thrust. "I . . . can't . . . can't resist. . . you! I love you, Sher!"**

 **Joan dug her nails deep into Sherlock's shoulders and her teeth clattered as wave after wave of rapture took her over the top.**

 **At the sight of Joan in rapture Sherlock lost vision in his passion and began to gasp and grunt as the convulsive movements of the climax seized him and the familiar blue lights exploded in his brain.**

 **Joan went limp in his arms in her moment of capitulation and Sherlock held her as the contractions continued to wrack his pelvis. He was always instantly repentant when Joan gave in to him this way, kissing her tenderly over and over, murmuring the most intimate terms of endearment over and over as they came down from the incredible high of orgasm and then drifted to sleep in each other's arms.**

 **In the late afternoon they wakened from their marathon, still craving one another but incredibly hungry as well.**

 **"Let's go pick up some steaks and take them home and cook them together, luv," Sherlock whispered into her ear. "I am too excited by you to behave myself in a restaurant this evening."**

 **"Okay, but you must turn your head while I get dressed. I know that look in your eyes," Joan said playfully. "I don't think you ever get enough, do you?"**

 **"Not enough of you . . . not enough of what you give me. And it's not simply your delightful arse. It's knowin' you love me, that you will give me what no woman in my life ever gave me till you."**

 **Sherlock became very serious for a moment and drew Joan into his embrace and kissed her gently upon her mouth.**

 **"What do I give you, Sherlock?"**

 **"Your understanding. From the beginning you understood me. You are the only one that understands me completely . . . and I love you so," Sherlock said, his eyes suddenly brimming with tears. "When I am an old man and can barely get this thing up, I need to know that you will be in my bed because you understand me as no one else does."**

 **Joan stared at him and in her heart realized how starved emotionally that both of them had been, for such a long time, more starved than either of them had realized. When they first came to terms with their feelings just before Kitty left, it had hit them so powerfully that they were practically useless for days for anything other than trying to satisfy their needs for one another. Their most recent case had forced them to take a break from none stop lovemaking but the conclusion of the case had only made them want to resume their emotionally passionate life style.**

 **Now Sherlock smacked her on her bottom and gently stepped back from her, his hands trembling because of the depth of his feelings.**

 **"Let's get dressed, luv," he said hoarsely, or we will be back in that bed."**

 **They quickly dressed and left the room where they had found so much pleasure for the better part of two days and** **returned to Brooklyn, stopping on their way home at their favorite meat market where they bought two beautifully marbled rib eye steaks and then at their local bakery a loaf of French bread.**

 **When they got home, they hurriedly put the meal together and soon they were sitting down to a fresh spinach salad and medium rare steaks with crispy buttered French bread, feeding the succulent morsels of food to each other till they were sated.**

 **"It was excellent, luv, wasn't it?"**

 **Joan nodded as their eyes met in an intimate moment that made both of them catch their breath.**

 **"I love to eat with you, to watch you enjoy the pleasure of good food. It is almost as beautiful as watching you have carnal pleasure," Sherlock said, his nostrils dilating gently as he reached for her hand across the table and drew it to his lips. "I love every moment we share. I hope I bring you the pleasure you desire, Joan. If not, you only have to utter the word and I will try to do whatever it is that you crave. Watching you gasp and cry out in my arms in that supreme moment fills my heart with something that I can only describe as the deepest love. You have taught me the inextricable connection between love from the heart and sexual fulfillment. I . . . I love you, Joan."**

 **Joan blushed at this outpouring of passionate words from Sherlock.**

 **"And i love you. I find you irresistible, Sherlock. . . irresistible. I am a complete woman when you make love to me. You are quite a guy, you know."**

 **Now it was Sherlock's turn to blush as Joan complemented him on his sexual prowess.**

 **"You bring out the best in me, mylady," Sherlock said softly. "Now I am going to send you to our bed to rest while I take care of the kitchen."**

 **Sherlock drew Joan up from the table and they wrapped their arms around each other and lost themselves for the moment in a wildly passionate kiss.**

 **"Oh, God, Joan," I think the kitchen will have to wait," Sherlock groaned softly as he flesh rose up to press insistently against Joan's.**

 **"I beg you to indulge me. I find myself overwhelmed with desire for you at this moment."**

 **Joan responded by pulling his shirt from his trousers so that she could touch his bare skin and run her hands up and down his chest letting her nails scrape him gently.**

 **"God, woman! I love it when you do that," Sherlock murmured as he picked Joan up in his arms and carried her off to bed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Pull of His Gravity Part Two**

 **Chapter 2**

 **By phaedraphelan**

 **Summary: Sherlock and Joan now have come to terms with the powerful attraction between them, and attempt to work together without distraction.**

 **Disclaimer: "Elementary" is the property of CBS and no infringement is intended.**

 **After being in seclusion for nearly a week in which they came to terms with the tremendous passion they felt for each, Sherlock and Joan were ready to face the world again, but now they were committed couple in the sense of having discussed the possibility of marriage. Sherlock had asked Gregson to give them a few days to attend to some personal matters without defining the nature of those matters, but it had nonetheless piqued his curiosity as to what was going on with Sherlock and Joan.**

 **Gregson had observed Sherlock and Joan from the closest range for more than four years and he was continually surprised at how they had seemed to able to quell the obviously passionate undercurrent that flowed between them at times. Now their feelings seemed to have suddenly burst into full bloom and everyone noticed this.**

 **Gregson called with a homicide early on this morning and they had reluctantly pulled themselves from bed and dressed themselves. They did the same things they had always done-Sherlock making breakfast and Joan making coffee, but they were constantly distracted by one another now that they had come to terms with their preoccupation with each other.**

 **Joan was absorbed in grinding the coffee and suddenly she felt Sherlock's eyes upon her. When she looked up and saw the raw passion in his eyes, she flushed deeply.**

 **"Please don't mind me staring. I guess I just find myself gobsmacked in the face of your beauty. I revel so in the sight of you, woman. And I don't have to hide it anymore, do I?" Sherlock said as he bent to nuzzle her affectionately and then seek a kiss from her lips.**

 **"My God, your lips are so soft, lassie, " he murmured, as his arms encircled her."**

 **Joan blushed deeply and leaned into Sherlock's lean body, unable to even speak, overcome in the sweet tenderness of the moment as Sherlock kissed her cheeks and then planted a lingering kiss on her forehead.**

 **"Umm, Sherlock, I do love you so," Joan whispered.**

 **"I am going to be hard-pressed to keep my mind on the case today. I guess knowing that you are willing to accept me as your husband makes everything even more intense."**

 **Sherlock released Joan from his embrace with a final kiss on the back of her hand before returning to his task of making their morning coffee and Joan set their breakfast table in its normal fashion which placed them opposite each other.**

 **"Luv, please set our places side-by-side. I need to be closer to you."**

 **Joan smiled and adjusted the place settings so that she and Sherlock would be sitting next to each other and they continued to make breakfast.**

 **They finished breakfast sitting with their coffee, sipping from each other's cup, eating from each other's plate as they looked deeply into each other's eyes, basking in the passion of each other's stares.**

 **As they walked to the precinct together, Sherlock caught Joan's hand in his. Joan was supremely aware of his hand holding hers as they walked in public this way. He often held his arm for her when they walked together, but never held Joan's hand. When they got to the precinct, Sherlock did not release her hand but continued to hold it fast as Gregson came toward them.**

 **"Well, I just was looking for you, Holmes."**

 **He paused as he stared quizzically for just a moment at their joined hands.**

 **"Watson, I will check with you a little later," Sherlock said, lifting Joan's hand to his lips for the briefest moment before releasing it and giving her a parting wink.**

 **Gregson did another double take before leading Sherlock into his office and closing the door behind them.**

 **"Holmes, I wanted to make you aware of some things we are working with. But . . . is there something you wanted to say to me? You and Watson, is there something that I should know. You have continually assured me that no intimate relationship existed between you. Obviously I was misled."**

 **"Watson . . . Joan and I have r-realized that there is something utterly profound between us. We have tried from the beginning to keep our relationship on a platonic basis, but it has been with great difficulty on both our parts. We simply cannot ignore our true feelings any longer. I am in love with her, something I never thought that I would say again in my life."**

 **Gregson sat back in his chair, quite happily flummoxed.**

 **"Damn, Sherlock . . . Damn it, man! Are you sure?"**

 **"That is actually what I said. I can't keep away from her now, Gregson. I feel like a randy twenty year old."**

 **"Let me say this, Holmes. I have always seen you and Joan together, and it seemed destined to eventually happen. Half the people in this precinct think that you two have got it going on anyway. But don't mess this up. You will never find anyone else who loves you like she does, not if you take a million years."**

 **Gregson reached across his desk to shake Sherlock's hand.**

 **"Thank you, Gregson. I just ask you to bear with Joan and me in the coming days. We are having difficulty appropriately controlling ourselves in our present state. It's like someone lit a fire in my belly and I can't put that fire out. I see her and I just want her . . . and she-she wants me too. Please understand our situation."**

 **Sherlock was obviously feeling the stress of his new status, his set of typical mannerisms even more exaggerated than normal.**

 **"Why don't you and Joan go and run this case down for me. If you managed to watch the news these past few days you heard about the case of a young woman who was found murdered off a jogging path near her home in Montauk, Long Island. They have asked us for some specialized investigative help. It will be a nice drive, a chance to go to the beach before the winter sets in. Here is the folder with the info on the case."**

 **Sherlock smiled, happily accepting the folder from Gregson's hand, as he got up to leave the office.**

 **"I-I'll go find Joan. We will keep in touch."**

 **"A couple more days of privacy will do you good. And please ask Watson to see me before you leave the precinct."**

 **Sherlock found Joan in the interrogation room, reviewing some recent cases. She had pulled her long hair up into a proper bun and it was all that Sherlock could do to resist his urge to go to her and loosen her hair to fall down upon her shoulders.**

 **"Gregson has given us a case to work on . . . out on Long Island. . . the case of that young woman who was killed near her home in the Hamptons. They want help in the investigation out there so Gregson is sending us to the beach, luv," Sherlock quipped. "I told him about 'us' and he seemed to think we need some more private time."**

 **"You told him?**

 **"I had to tell him. I could not deny the obvious, luv. I am in a rather obvious state and I dare say that you are as well. Am I amiss when I say that it is evident from the change in your gait that our sex life of recent weeks seems to be satisfying you to an extraordinary degree?"**

 **"No, that would not be amiss at all," Joan smiled up at Sherlock as she got up from her chair. "Are we ready to go now?"**

 **"Yes, but before we go, Gregson wanted a moment with you."**

 **Joan stopped into Gregson's office.**

 **"Come in for a moment, Watson," Gregson said. "And close the door.**

 **Joan sat down primly across from the captain, somehow aware that this conversation would not be related to work but of a more personal nature.**

 **Gregson cleared his throat and spoke.**

 **"I just wanted to say that I have taken note of the change in your relationship with Sherlock and I wanted to say that I heartily approve and wish you only the best. I had wondered when the two of you would figure out that you belonged together," he chuckled softly. "I don't doubt that you are fantastic together in the way that matters most. He is a very complicated fellow, but I think you know him better than anyone."**

 **"Yes, I do. I know his strengths and weaknesses . . . and I want him, Tommy."**

 **"So he is good to you sexually? I ask as a father, like a friend, Joan." Gregson smiled like a knowing father at this point.**

 **Joan blushed and dropped her eyes.**

 **"Yes, he is. And I realize now that I have always loved him, and he tells me that he loves me as well. And, yes, it is quite fantastic, Captain."**

 **"Well, that is all very obvious, young lady. I just wanted you to know how happy I am for both of you."**

 **They stood and Gregson and Joan hugged warmly before she went back to Sherlock who was looking for bed and breakfast sites in Montauk, Long Island, on the office computer.**

 **When Joan came behind Sherlock, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder as he looked thought the computer, Sherlock caught Joan's hand in his and kissed it.**

 **"Luv, I want to be with you," he said simply. "I'm like a man who has been lost in the desert and has suddenly come upon a beautiful oasis. I cannot stop drinking the water. My body is craving more and more."**

 **They were caught up momentarily in their passions and Sherlock drew Joan close. At that moment they heard the blinds draw closed and the door was pulled shut.**

 **"I guess the captain thinks we need privacy, Sherlock. And he wants to see you before we leave today."**

 **"Um . . ."**

 **Sherlock stood up from his chair and his lips found Joan's in a series of feverish kisses that blocked out everything else. They could not have refrained from those kisses at that moment if a bomb had exploded beside them. His hands caught her by her hips and pulled her up tight against him so that she could feel all the bones in his hard muscled body as well as the excitement surging in his flesh as he immediately became completely aroused against her.**

 **Sherlock eased Joan into a corner of the room that was not immediately visible if the door were opened, as he pushed Joan up against the wall, continuing to kiss her desperately, passionate sucking kisses all over her face, literally inhaling her as she clung to him, giving in to his kisses completely, her own sensual nature unable to resist his blandishments.**

 **"Sherlock . . . Baby, you have to let me go. We aren't at home. Please, you know I can't resist you. Oooh, Sherlock . . ."**

 **"Oh, luv, I'm useless in this state. We need privacy."**

 **They finally stood apart and straightened their clothes, trying to regain control of their emotions. But then Sherlock caught Joan's face in his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs as Joan's hands found their way around his waist under his jacket.**

 **"I love you so much, Joan Watson," Sherlock said hoarsely. "I love you beyond imagining, woman."**

 **Sherlock leaned down to tenderly kiss Joan's lips again, clasping her so close that they could feel each other's hearts pounding before they finally reluctantly drew apart.**

 **Sherlock stopped by Gregson's office before they left. Gregson asked him to sit down and waited a bit before making his statement on their situation."**

 **"So Joan is in love with you. She told me that you two are sleeping together these days."**

 **"Yes, I believe you took note of the change between us. I'm mad about her. I tried for so long to avoid this because I truly did not feel worthy of Joan, especially after my relapse last year. But I reached the point where I found myself unable to deny my love for her. I need her desperately. And when we came together sexually it was unlike anything I had ever experienced in my life."**

 **"Are you prepared to be faithful to her, Sherlock? Joan is not the kind of woman who will abide any philandering on your part. You had better be prepared to keep your dick in your pants, Sherlock, or I will find you and beat you to a pulp myself if you are not faithful to her."**

 **Sherlock flushed at the crude description that passed Gregson's lips.**

 **"I am totally committed to belong exclusively to her for the rest of my life, Tommy. My 'dick,' as you describe it, or my male member is hers. God knows I never thought that I would commit myself to love and marriage with one woman, but that moment has come in my life.**

 **Do you see her, Tommy? I live with this incredibly beautiful woman. I see her and smell her scent and hear her voice every day of my life. Do you know how hard that has been? I knew I wanted her the first day we met, but I tried to keep a distance. I reached the point where I cannot stay away from her, Tommy. I think about her and my member instantly responds in a most obvious manner. We have spent days in bed recently indulging ourselves to the point of exhaustion and we still want more. We had denied this thing for so long that it was on the point of driving us both crazy with need."**

 **Sherlock's eyes filled suddenly with unshed tears and he had to pause and drop his head into his hands.**

 **"I need this woman, Tommy. As I contemplate my life now, I am consumed with such need for her that I cannot adequately describe it. I must confess this to you. You know that I have led a promiscuous and profligate life. I have been with more women than I would be able to count. But when Joan and I come together, Tommy, and that moment of release comes, and she gives herself and she capitulates completely in that moment . . . I never experienced that from any woman. And each time that it happens is completely unique and different. She cries out my name and my heart is so full that I am brought to tears in her arms."**

 **Sherlock's hands trembled as he spoke of his love for Joan and Tommy Gregson could see how Sherlock's heart was opened up by his love for Joan.**

 **"You and Joan have my blessing, Sherlock. Make each other happy in every way possible and I will always have your back."**

 **"Thank you, Tommy," Sherlock said, and the two men hugged briefly before Sherlock left Gregson's office.**

 **Sherlock had made a reservation at the Baker House, a manor house type bed and breakfast in Montauk, Long Island. Since the police on the island had made a car available for their use out there, they decided to take the Long Island Railroad out to help the local police with the murder case in their back yard.**

 **"I think we should leave now, pack a few things and try to get the 6:00 p.m. train to Montauk, Watson, so that we can take a look at this case first thing tomorrow morning."**

 **"Okay," Joan said, smiling up at him, "but you will have to behave yourself or we will never get out of the brownstone."**

 **"I only want a little bit more love, luv," Sherlock murmured into her tiny ear as he drew her into his arms again and whispered his passionate request for a "quickie" before they left for Long Island.**

 **When he felt Joan yield to his embrace, he could only sigh helplessly as their pelvises came into contact, causing the passionate heat between them to burst into flame as they rubbed against each other.**

 **Joan moaned softly and then wriggled free from his embrace. She was completely flushed as was Sherlock as they drew apart. Joan quickly walked away from him, turned on the light in the room and sat down at the table there in an attempt to collect herself. Sherlock followed her and sat down across from her.**

 **"I am sorry, Joan, but I am overwhelmed by my feelings at this moment. Let's try to focus on what this case is about," he said, opening the file folder for the case they were going to investigate.**

 **After a few minutes their passions cooled and Sherlock and Joan managed to collect themselves and to leave for Long Island and the case.**

 **The two hour trip to Long Island by train tested Sherlock and Joan to the limit as to their resistance to each other. They sat together as close as possible but tried to refrain from improper public behavior.**

 **"Watson, I wonder if you find the movements of the train as stimulating as I do," he whispered to her shortly after their trip began.**

 **"God, yes!" Joan answered simply, gripping his hand in a manner that left no question as to her feelings on this matter.**

 **Sherlock was pensive as they sat side by side on the train. He reached for Joan's other hand and held it tightly.**

 **"What's on your mind, Sherlock?"**

 **"My mind dwells upon you, luv. Our friend, Tommy Gregson, admonished me to be faithful to you or he will thrash me within an inch of my life. He will never have to thrash me, Joan. I am consumed with my love for you. I am quite unable to help myself in this situation."**

 **Joan tilted her face upward and Sherlock bent to kiss her lips tenderly and thoroughly over and over, as they sat in their shadowy corner of the train car as it rolled along.**

 **When they arrived at their destination, they picked up a rental car and headed to the Manor House.**

 **The room was beautifully appointed in early American style-rocking chairs, and a big queen sized bed decorated with charming blue and green plaid pillows.**

 **There was even a desk in the room so that they could process the information they gathered.**

 **The middle aged woman who was the manager of the Manor House greeted them warmly.**

 **"I hope everything will be to your pleasure. Is there anything I can bring you this evening? Tea and sandwiches, perhaps?"**

 **"Yes, my fiancée and I would appreciate that very much," Sherlock said. "We have had a full day and need to get some rest, Madam."**

 **The full-figured woman smiled indulgently at the two obviously in love adults who were her guests and bustled to get the refreshments they requested.**

 **Sherlock reached out to Joan and they hugged and kissed.**

 **"I hope she brings the tea quickly. I want nothing more than to have a hot cup and get into bed with you, luv."**

 **"Sherlock," Joan chuckled softly, "don't worry. I will take care of you tonight."**

 **She removed his jacket, began to loosen his tie and belt and then to unbutton his shirt and Sherlock sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs in the room. Joan, by nature, treated Sherlock with the utmost deference, but especially since they had become lovers. She knelt to remove his shoes and socks, put them aside and Sherlock reached for her hand and drew her up onto his lap and kissed her, loosening her blouse in the process and slipping his hand inside her bra to squeeze her soft breast.**

 **He sighed when he heard the knock on their door signaling the arrival of a young man bringing tea and sandwiches and fruit on a cart, which Joan graciously accepted.**

 **She prepared their tea and knelt to present his tea to Sherlock in the time-honored manner of women of her culture. Despite being a thoroughly modern and liberated woman she deferred to Sherlock in matters such as this finding delight in serving Sherlock as much as Sherlock found delight in her treating him this way as she presented his tea to him, holding the cup in both her hands in the traditional manner.**

 **"I don't deserve to be treated this way, Joan, luv."**

 **"You have become my lord and master, Sherlock."**

 **Joan had already turned back the bed and turned the lights down low and now she let down her hair, removed her clothes completely and stretched out upon the bed, completely seducing her man.**

 **"God! Joan!" Sherlock came to the bed and stepped out of his trousers and shorts and then stripped his shirt completely off and fell upon Joan who opened her arms to receive him.**

 **They both moaned and groaned softly as they came together. Their was no hesitance as Joan drew her knees up and opened them wide around Sherlock's hips so their parts could easily join.**

 **"Oh, Joan . . . Joan, I love you so much! Oh, God, woman, your flesh is paradise to me."**

 **"Sherlock, love . . . Oooh, yes!" Joan responded as he began to thrust deep inside her in the rhythm of coitus as Joan simply melted in his arms, digging her nails deep into his flesh as they kissed the deep kisses of lovers who were perfectly suited to each other.**

 **Their coming together was so complete that Joan had to bite her lips to keep from crying out as Sherlock snorted and grunted upon her bringing Joan all the way to a stunning climax that left her teeth chattering when it swept over Joan as her Sherlock spilled his life force into her.**

 **Joan shook and quivered in Sherlock's arms, overcome completely by Sherlock's love for her and the power of his lovemaking. He was a consummate lover who knew endless ways to pleasure a woman but now that Sherlock had acknowledged himself to be completely in love and so when he approached her, what he brought to Joan was so intense that her body literally began to salivate for him whenever he came near to her. And Sherlock found himself continually thrilled at her response to his sexual overtures. For the first time in her life Joan was fulfilled sexually, and each time he took her was a fresh and different experience, even when they came together several times in rapid succession, as well as each joining being unique in her response to him, a surprise when he brought her to the peak of sexual fulfillment, from her reaction of sheer glee and joy or playfulness, all the way to tears in that moment. The only constant was that she never refused him or rebuffed his advances and often thrilled him to the point that he felt his heart would burst with joy when she was especially keen and came after him herself in no uncertain terms.**

 **The next day they started to work on the case of the young woman murdered near the ocean. Sherlock and Joan visited the dunes where her remains had been discovered searching for evidence that had been perhaps overlooked. They soon established that the woman hand been killed elsewhere. They found none of the telltale evidence of a murder committed on the beach, but just the opposite. The woman had been dragged from a car and left on the beach among the tall cattail reeds that were indigenous to the wetlands. There was no further evidence to be obtained on the beach.**

 **Sherlock and Joan continued to walk along the beach together. It was a beautiful fall day on the windswept Long Island beach. Since they didn't find any more evidence, finally Sherlock took off his light parka and laid it down upon a bed of the tall wild rushes that surrounded them and drew Joan down beside him and they turned to each other. They had dressed similarly in denim with black turtleneck sweaters for the brisk fall day.**

 **"Joan, you look so beautiful out here. I do love you, woman."**

 **Sherlock took Joan's hand and kissed it and then he kissed her tenderly upon her face, running his fingers through her hair.**

 **"Do you think that we are quite alone, Sherlock?"**

 **The rushes and tall reedy plants were like a wall around them and the sound of the surf roared around and above them.**

 **"I know that we are effectively hidden in our wall of wild rushes and cattails. What do you propose, luv?"**

 **"I want you to take me here. You are so handsome to me today." She reached to touch his stubbled cheeks. "I would love to feel your beard against my breasts right now."**

 **Sherlock pushed up her sweater up so that he could give attention to her bosom and was delighted to find that she had left off her bra for him.**

 **"Oh, dear Lord, Joan, your breasts are so gorgeous in the bright light of day," he exclaimed as he fell upon them kissing and suckling them and rubbing his rough beard against them in the way that Joan enjoyed so much.**

 **"Oh, yes, Sherlock! Yes, that is what I love! Yes!"**

 **Joan took his hand and placed it between her thighs under her denim skirt and then she reached to unzip his trousers, allowing his turgid member to burst free into her hand.**

 **"Ah, and this is an offer I cannot refuse, lassie," Sherlock groaned as Joan gripped and held him. "Your lovely arse is extraordinarily hot today, eh?"**

 **"Umm, yes, I do need you, Sherlock?" Joan blushed under his gaze as Sherlock bore her back and kissed her tenderly on her cheek and then her neck.**

 **"Ooh, Joan, yes . . . Yes! Your wish is my command."**

 **His hands slid along her thigh and soon he was fondling her intimately as Joan moaned softly. Sherlock lost himself completely and snatched her panties down and off, tossing them aside as they became completely engaged with each other.**

 **"Luv, you know that I canna control my passion for you, Joan."**

 **"Make love to me, Sherlock. I don't care. Just make love to me!"**

 **Sherlock eased onto Joan and, as she guided his member to its place, the moment that only Sherlock could bring to her when she felt the sensation of purest pleasure, voluptas enveloped her. As his huge girth began stretching her open to find its place inside her, Joan moaned and gasped passionately.**

 **Sherlock paused for a moment seeking to gauge the state of her readiness for him and was rewarded with her cries for him to continue.**

 **"Please, Sherlock, don't . . . stop. Please don't stop!"**

 **"I won't stop, luv. I can't stop! Oh, Joan, I want you so, woman."**

 **They began to rock rhythmically together as they lay hidden within the wall of rushes. They were making love, rocking gently at first, whispering the love words that easily fell from their lips, but then they became so overwhelmed with passion that they both lost all consciousness of where they were and they threw all caution to the wind as Joan's skirt slipped up to her waist and she wrapped her legs around Sherlock's hips. At that moment when Sherlock's member sank all the way into her, Joan's whole body seized in rapture, the sexual connection becoming complete deep inside her and sweeping her rapidly to the point of orgasm again and again till it took them and rolled over them simultaneously, leaving them still joined, kissing tenderly over and over.**

 **"I wanted you so today, Sherlock . . . so so much."**

 **"Darling, Joan . . . Joan, I love you, woman. Take what you need from me. I am your man and, and you are my woman!"**

 **"Yes! Yes, Sherlock," Joan's tears flowed as the spasms would not let her go.**

 **Sherlock held Joan fast. They were unable to separate because the joining was so complete and so deep that Joan could only moan her pleasure.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock . . . baby, I love you so," Joan groaned as her inmost parts contracted sharply around Sherlock's again.**

 **"God! Joan, yes! Yes!" He cried out as his pelvis jerked in response, beginning to thrust anew, taking Joan completely again, taking her all the way to the crest again and again till they both were seized with the convulsions of orgasm once more.**

 **Joan lay flushed amid the rushes and cattails, her skirt still up, her sweater pulled up, and her legs wide open and revealing her swollen genitalia, looking like the wild woman who has just had her man, the imprint of Sherlock's passion evident to anyone who would have glimpsed her.**

 **"Darling, I fear we have become quite disheveled here. I think you and I must pull ourselves together."**

 **He gently drew her skirt down again and then pulled up his pants back up over his hips and pushed his still excited parts into his trousers so that he could zip himself up.**

 **"Sherlock, my panties, what did you do with them?"**

 **Sherlock picked them up from where he had tossed them in his passion and pressed them to his face for a long moment to inhale her scent before he handed them to Joan who pushed them into her purse.**

 **"I think we should make our way back to that rental car, luv," Sherlock said as he gently brushed broken grass from Joan's hair and leaned to kiss her cheek and then her lips. "Thank you for kindly accepting me as your consort today."**

 **"Do we have to go now? Let's stay here among the rushes for a while till the sun starts to go down."**

 **"Whatever you wish, luv. I guess we need to recover a bit."**

 **Sherlock lay back and Joan lay in his arms listening to the surf as the tide went out, the sound of sea gulls circling overhead and they were at peace.**

 **"Sherlock, you make me embarrass myself."**

 **"To what are you referring, Joan?"**

 **"I must apologize for my . . . my wanton behavior earlier." Joan blushed before him now.**

 **"I find it altogether charming when you are especially keen, luv," Sherlock said. "I do not consider what you did as wanton. You have been gifted with an extremely passionate nature, woman. I don't know how you have managed to handle your sexual needs for all this time. You are a mature adult female and you have something very special to give. I regret that I have allowed you to suffer with your passions for all this time. We fit together, Joan, in an incredible way."**

 **"You weren't shocked by what I did?"**

 **Sherlock smiled and winked at her in that way that melted her heart and took her hand and kissed it.**

 **"I was thrilled you wanted me at that moment because I most certainly wanted you. This member in my trousers belongs to you, my lovely Joan. You may do whatever you desire with it. You may have it whenever you want it. I want to marry you. You need have no reticence about wanting me. I want to legally give this thing to you. I believe that is really what marriage is all about," Sherlock said as took Joan's hand and placed it on his still distended crotch as he leaned to kiss her again.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock, I do want this to belong to me and I want you to have me whenever you want me."**

 **"Let's get married next week . . . please Dr. Watson. There is no need to wait any longer. Will you?"**

 **Joan snuggled into his chest as he stroked her flank through her skirt.**

 **"Yes, I will marry you . . . next week, Mr. Holmes."**

 **"And are you willing to also consider the matter of merging our chromosomes in a family gene pool?"**

 **"You mean you want to father a child with me?"**

 **"Well I dare say that you and I are both aware that that is the only way we can create a gene pool of our own. The possibilities intrigue and fascinate me, luv," Sherlock said as he gently patted her flat belly. "As soon as we are married, I ask you to toss the birth control pills and . . . and with your permission, of course, we will see what providence brings."**

 **Joan blushed and put her hand over Sherlock's hand.**

 **"Are you sure, Sherlock?"**

 **"I have never been more certain of anything, Joan."**

 **They kissed again, tenderly, first a bit tearful and then quietly laughing, rocking in each other's arms.**

 **"Come along, Joan. We need to go back to the Manor House. I saw a supper club in town this morning. We can go celebrate with lobster and . . . will you go dancing with me afterward?"**

 **They went back to their hotel, made their report on the case to Gregson and then prepared to go out to dinner. Joan had brought a burgundy silk dress that was a favorite of Sherlock. It was a simple shift that plunged in the back to her waist and Joan went braless on this evening. When she dressed with her hair in an elegant twist and added a black silk wrap, her appearance was breathtaking to Sherlock who had brought along one of his navy suits and presented himself most handsomely with his ruddy coloring and manly carriage.**

 **They were a beautiful couple, obviously in love, when they went out to dinner together to the supper club not far from the manor house. Sherlock asked for a quiet corner booth where they could sit side by side in relative privacy.**

 **As they sat eating the sumptuous meal in the lovely restaurant, the romance in their hearts seemed to overflow as they enjoyed raw oysters on the half shell.**

 **"We don't need this kind of help, darling," Sherlock said in reference to oysters aphrodisiac effect, "but these are fantastic."**

 **Then perfectly broiled lobster came and they fed each other, Joan enjoying serving him favorite pieces of the succulent lobster.**

 **"Joan, luv, you know that I am loving this evening with you," Sherlock said as they sat back from the great meal.**

 **"I know that. Sherlock, umm!"**

 **"There is no one I would rather be with t-than you this moment, luv," Sherlock stammered slightly as he often did when his emotions were involved. He reached into the pocket of his vest and took out a beautiful two carat brown diamond solitaire ring, took Joan's hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed it and slipped the ring on her finger as Joan gasped in surprise. "Will you please accept this ring from me, Joan Watson?"**

 **"Yes, I will accept your ring and I will marry you, Sherlock," Joan said softly.**

 **"Thank you, Joan. Would you dance with me, Joan?"**

 **They got up and began to dance slowly to the Sinatra tune that was playing. Sherlock held Joan very close and kissed her tenderly in the low light of the club and the softness of her body against his and the fragrance of her hair and skin combined to cause a kind of sensory overload in him and suddenly his sexual desire for Joan overwhelmed him and his flesh came alive against her so powerfully that they almost stopped dancing as he pulled her up tight against him.**

 **"Oh, God, Joan . . . Joan."**

 **"Oh, Sherlock," Joan murmured.**

 **"Forgive me, Joan. Y-you overwhelm me. I think we must stop dancing or I shall have embarrassed myself in this public place."**

 **Sherlock led Joan from the now darkened dance floor back to their table and they sat down next to each other in their booth and simply held hands and communed silently, leaning in to kiss each other tenderly on the mouth every few minutes.**

 **"Darling, I think that we should return to our lodging. My heart is quite full at this moment. I only want to lie down with you in my arms and express my feelings of gratitude to you for letting me be the only man in your life and for accepting my proposal of marriage."**

 **Joan took Sherlock's hand to her lips and kissed his palm and, turned his hand over and rubbed her cheek against the hair on the back of it and then they got up to leave.**

 **When they returned to the Manor House, they went into their room and simply turned to each other and wrapped their arms tightly around each other. When their bodies touched, there was no hesitancy now as Sherlock and Joan ground their pelvises together passionately, rhythmically. It was as if they were still dancing even though no music was playing.**

 **"God, my flesh is so alive for you, lassie. Oh, Joanie, Joanie!"**

 **They kissed and kissed, their open mouths taking turns searching and possessing the others. Joan's wrap fell unnoticed to the floor and Sherlock slipped out of his own jacket and tossed it aside before drawing her into his arms again, kissing her and murmuring feverishly to her his need.**

 **"I want to take your hair down, luv, and I want to take you to bed now. Please have mercy on me, Joan! I am in such need of you. I feel as if my testicles will burst."**

 **Sherlock turned Joan's back to him and kissed her all over her bare back and she shivered in ecstasy as he did it. When he slipped the silk dress off her shoulders, it dropped to the floor and his hands clasped and squeezed her warm full breasts as Joan moaned softly.**

 **"Sherlock, Sherlock. . ."**

 **Joan turned to face him and he caught her up in his arms and continued to feverishly kiss her neck and then her bare breasts over and over as all the while he drew the pins out that held her hair fast so that it fell around her shoulders as he easily picked her up and carried her to the bed.**

 **Joan helped Sherlock quickly strip off his clothes and toss them aside and then she welcomed him into her arms to suckle at her breasts as she stroked and caressed him till they were both so excited that he got onto her and pushed his ready tool to its place deep inside her as they joined in intercourse.**

 **"Oh, God! God! I'm so in love with you, woman," Sherlock gasped as they found their marvelous rhythm together. He groaned and nipped her shoulders gently with his teeth as she received each of his powerful thrusts.**

 **"Oh! Yes! Sherlock!" Joan gasped as the rhythm of coitus captured them.**

 **"Sher . . .lock . . . Yes! Oh, yes!"**

 **That was Joan at that moment when she went rigid in spasm after spasm in his arms and the brilliant lights of orgasm took her to the outer limits of sanity.**

 **"Dear sweet Jesus!" Sherlock growled, his face contorted in ecstasy as he felt his testicles shoot jets of his life force deep into her, filling his brain with flashes of brilliant blue light.**

 **In the early morning hours Joan awakened. They had made love till they were completely exhausted and Sherlock was still sleeping hard. Joan slipped from bed and picked up their clothes that they had dropped hastily in their moment of passion and put their things away.**

 **Joan looked at him naked and sprawled spread-eagled on the bed, his magnificent member finally at rest against his thigh and her heart skipped a beat.**

 _ **How could we have held back for so long? I want him every time he wants me. . . every time. I will follow this man to the ends of the earth. And I want to carry for him.**_

 **Joan got back into bed and Sherlock wakened momentarily, called her name and drew her warm body to his before drifting off to sleep again.**

 **They got up the next morning and returned to the city to report to Captain Gregson on the case.**

 **"I would like to suggest that we go on one of those ten day cruises to the Caribbean that leave from Red Hook. One leaves this evening and we could just make it. Would you fancy that?"**

 **"I would love it, Sherlock."**

 **"We could have the ship's captain marry us. I want to be your husband, Joan. And I want you to be my wife."**

 **"Yes! Sherlock! Oh, yes, I would love that!"**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Pull of His Gravity, Part Two**

 **Chapter Three**

 **By phaedraphelan**

 **Summary: Sherlock and Joan approach marriage and there are revelations!**

 **Disclaimer: "Elementary" is the property of CBS and no infringement is intended.**

 **Sherlock and Joan came home to the brownstone and quickly prepared to take the ten day cruise to St. Martin. They were basically concerned now with establishing their relationship before everyone as the defining one of their lives.**

 **As Sherlock and Joan packed their bags for their cruise, they were almost giddy with joy. They were both so caught up in the deep attachment they felt for each other that they were almost like teenagers experiencing love for the first time and yet their maturity as adults gave their love a power in their lives that they could have not have imagined.**

 **As they passed each other during their preparations Sherlock reached out to catch Joan up in his arms and kissed her hard on her mouth.**

 **"I am so happy in this moment, Joan. Do you know how grateful I am that you will have me?"**

 **His eyes were full and brimming with tears as he held Joan so close that she could feel his heart throbbing and caused Joan's eyes to fill as well.**

 **"I love you, Sherlock. Do not feel grateful. I am so proud to be your woman, your partner in every way. You are a beautiful human being, gifted and brilliant, caring."**

 **"I am an addict, Joan, a man with a miserable weakness. I feel now that I would never turn to drugs again, but I said that before and you know what happened."**

 **"I know and I understand and I love you. I love you, Sherlock. I can't help loving you."**

 **Sherlock dropped his head and just wrapped his arms around her and they stood like that for a long moment. As they stood there, the doorbell rang.**

 **"Whoever could that be? I don't think I could bear any company at this moment."**

 **"I'll go see who it is."**

 **Joan went to the door and opened it to a tall thin elegantly dressed man with mahogany-colored skin who seemed to be in his mid-seventies. His features were finely sculptured and his eyes were a startling grey. When he lifted his hat, it revealed a head of thick white hair.**

 **"Good evening, miss. I am looking for Sherlock Holmes. Might he be in?" The lilt in his voice was decidedly Jamaican.**

 **"Sherlock Holmes is preparing to go away for a couple weeks. Is this is very important?"**

 **"I traveled from London to see Mr. Holmes. I . . . knew his late mother."**

 **Joan stepped back to invite the man into the house and led him into the parlor and offered him a seat before going to speak to Sherlock.**

 **"There is a man here to see you from London who says that he knew your mother, Sherlock."**

 **"Did he say what he wanted?" Sherlock stopped his packing.**

 **"I think you should see him. Anyone who knew your mother should help you understand the situation between her and your father."**

 **"I want you beside me, Joan. Come along," Sherlock said, giving her derrière an affectionate squeeze.**

 **Sherlock and Joan went back into the parlor to meet the visitor.**

 **"I am Geoffrey Durity, Mr. Holmes," the man said as he rose somewhat stiffly to meet Sherlock. "I have wanted to meet you for many, many years. I don't know how much of your mother's history you are familiar with. I don't wish to shock you or disturb you but I am compelled at this moment in my life to find you and speak with you about certain matters. I am in poor health at this time dealing with a serious heart condition, and I didn't want to pass from this earth without at least seeing you, Sherlock."**

 **"Please sit, Mr. Durity," Sherlock said as the man settled back down in his chair.**

 **"And why have you been compelled to make this visit, Mr. Durity? Speak freely to me. You mention my mother. This woman, that you see with me is my fiancée. My father only recently revealed to me that my mother was addicted to opioids, that this was the reason for the breakup of their marriage, and that this addiction destroyed our family."**

 **"This is true, Sherlock. But you need to know that I am not totally proud of my role in her life at that time, but I will not apologize for it either. I met your mother when I was a medical student working at the rehab facility she was sent to after being injured in a horseback riding accident. Suffice it to say that we became deeply involved. It was not something that either of us was seeking, but the chemistry was there and it happened. We were both young; we saw each other and it happened in an instant. It was a time when interracial marriage was not by any means the norm and she was engaged to be married to another man, a marriage that her family viewed as important socially and from a monetary standpoint. We did not have intercourse at that time, but we came terribly close to it.**

 **Unfortunately it was during that time, when she was recovering from her accident, that she became dependent on opioids. Back then we were just seeing the first cases of this kind of addiction. May, your mother, was devastated, but she had become a victim. When Morland discovered her sickness, her addiction, he wanted to marry her anyway. He had no idea of the power of that kind of addiction. Her family sent her to a drug rehab facility and he had her sign a prenuptial agreement that she would forfeit everything if she fell back into the habit again. Your mother was a ravishingly beautiful woman, Sherlock, and he wanted her no matter what the case."**

 **"I know about the prenup, Mr. Durity. My father deigned to show it to me recently when he exposed my mother's addiction to me. It was a most painful revelation."**

 **"Your mother married Morland and she became pregnant with Mycroft right away. We did not see each other or have any contact for several years. I went on to to finish medical school at Oxford and began my practice.**

 **"Then I saw her in the street in downtown London one afternoon. She was unhappy in the marriage, totally under Morland's control. I make no apology, Sherlock, for either of us. That very afternoon we went to a hotel and we threw all caution to the wind and lay down together. That is when we realized the mistake we had made in giving each other up. There was no turning back of our feelings. She went home to Morland and that same month she realized that she was pregnant with you. I did not dare see her again. We simply held our breath, hoping that you would not come out bearing my genetic imprint. And thankfully that did not happen. But of course . . ."**

 **"That does not mean that I am not your offspring," Sherlock wryly finished Durity's sentence. "Spermatozoa can live in the female reproductive tract several days, waiting for the opportunity to fertilize the ovum as you no doubt are well aware and genetics, in the final analysis, carries the truth of who we are."**

 **Joan took Sherlock's hand and held it tight.**

 **"This is true and is one of the principal reasons that I am here. When you were a young lad, your mother and I would meet infrequently when Morland was out of the country on business. These were passionate meetings, Sherlock. We could no longer hold ourselves back. Eventually the stress of her marriage to Morland and her relationship with me caught up with her and she fell back into self-medicating. That is what precipitated the divorce.**

 **"When Morland put her away in that cottage and sent you and Mycroft away to boarding school, she gave in completely to her addiction. She was in desperate shape. She was at the point of going to the streets to get her meds and I could not let that happen. I could not bear to see her give her body in exchange for her meds so I became her supplier. I lost my medical license for a number of years because I supplied her with the meds she needed. She missed her boys and could not come to terms with being separated from you and Mycroft. I had never married and during that time I became her lover. I am not proud of it but I brought her whatever she needed. After I lost my license to practice medicine because I was supplying her, I went to the streets to get what she needed. Morland found out that I was staying with her but he did not know our history. He thought I was just a part of her sink into degradation and drugs, her Kaffir, her Negro, her supplier. He never knew that on her darkest day I could bring true joy and fulfillment to her bed. And then there was that fire and I lost her forever."**

 **Tears were streaming down both Joan's and Sherlock's faces as he listened to Geoffrey Durity tearfully recount events of which he had had no previous knowledge.**

 **"Your mother always thought that you were the result of our liaison that afternoon in London. I honestly do not know, but I want to give you a sample of my DNA now while I am still able to do so. You will be the one to decide if you want to know the definitive answer to the question of your paternity. I kept up with you through the years and was impressed with your abilities and very distressed to hear that you had fallen into addiction a few years ago, this being my greatest fear, given your mother's history. I have been equally heartened to see you overcome this to this point. I can only assume that this woman at your side has been a stabilizing force for you."**

 **"Joan has saved my life and I am totally in love with her. I appreciate this information that you have shared with us. I have been an utter disappointment to Morland Holmes as a son. It has always been rocky and bitter between us. I am sure that if he suspected I might not be his son, he would have quickly rejected and renounced me several years ago. I have needed a true father in the worst way, Mr. . . Dr. . . Geoffrey, if I may address you as Geoffrey. I was always aware of the stark differences between my brother and me, but it never occurred to me that we might not be full brothers. If my mother's suspicions prove true, I will be honored to call you 'father' with no hesitation whatsoever."**

 **"Genetics can play interesting tricks on us, Sherlock. My grey eyes are from my white grandfather who owned a sugar cane plantation in Jamaica and impregnated my grandmother who was an African woman servant in his house. My parents were both black Jamaicans, but I came on the scene with my grandfather's grey eyes. If you are my son and you father children, you must be prepared for the surprises that nature may bring."**

 **When Geoffrey Durity adjusted his length in his chair and tapped his foot anxiously, it reminded Joan forcefully of the same mannerism of Sherlock. Likewise his wiry still muscular physique and large hands with long fingers bore a striking similarity to Sherlock in Joan's eyes.**

 **Durity extended to Sherlock an envelope which Sherlock accepted with the DNA evidence he had mentioned.**

 **"We are preparing to leave on a short cruise this very evening, but you are welcome to stay here in our home for the duration of your visit."**

 **"No, no, I have a hotel here in town," Durity demurred.**

 **"We insist. Please . . . " Sherlock wiped his eyes as he handled the manila envelope Durity had given him.**

 **"Thank you. Perhaps I shall accept your hospitality. The trip has been quite exhausting and I am not well."**

 **"I will make tea," Joan said, rising to go to the kitchen.**

 **"One of the spare rooms is already made up."**

 **Sherlock opened the envelope and saw that there were also a number of photographs of his mother that he had never seen as well as photos of her with Geoffrey in various poses that fairly advertised the closeness of their relationship. There were photos of him with May Holmes at the age of three and then five and six or seven and there was a picture of his mother very pregnant. When he turned it over, on the back she had simply written a question mark and a tiny heart. Then a check dropped onto Sherlock's lap. When he picked it up, he realized it was for fifty thousand Euro."**

 **"My God, what is this for?"**

 **"I set aside money for you every single month of my life. In the event that problems developed between you and Morland I wanted to be sure you would not be left unprotected. May's greatest fear was that somehow Morland might discover that you were of questionable parentage and disinherit you. She loved you so very much."**

 **At that Sherlock broke down completely in sobs.**

 **"This is quite a shock to you, Sherlock. I did not make this trip to distress you."**

 **"No . . . no distress . . . just relief, relief after all the years of not understanding why I felt no affinity for Morland or he for me, for that matter. Oh, God! He was such a bastard to my mother."**

 **"Yes, he was. He was an arrogant bastard. In spite of his capacity to in investigate business matters, it never occurred to him that a black man, a Negro, a Kaffir might have won the love of his beautiful May. Even after he divorced her, when I was coming and going, practically living with your mother, he never considered that we might be true lovers, thinking of me as someone incidental, her drug supplier, believing that she was reduced to acting as a whore for me so that I would supply her drugs. Once he came to check on her and barged in without knocking and found us in a compromising situation together. He called her a slut, a harlot. I wanted to kill him. He had no idea of our history together. And she never told him different because she did not want him to disown you, Sherlock."**

 **Joan returned with tea and she knelt to serve it to Geoffrey Durity taking the position of honor to a father that she knew so well and then she served Sherlock in the same way.**

 **"Thank you, Joan. Thank you for saving Sherlock."**

 **"Thank you, for coming here today. Whatever the results of the DNA test, you have answered questions that have been a source of great anxiety to Sherlock."**

 **The three sat in companionable reminiscing for the next hour till it was time for Sherlock and Joan to leave. They barely were able to get to Red Hook to catch the cruise as they had planned.**

 **When the ship pulled out and Sherlock and Joan were finally alone in their cabin, they looked at each other and they both hugged and cried together. The weight of the revelation of Geoffrey Durity settled down on them.**

 **"What are you going to do, Sherlock? Are you going to have the DNA test done?"**

 **"I left it for Carlos to drop in the mail. I feel I owe it to you, Joan. If I am biracial, you need to know that. You must have the opportunity to make this decision with full knowledge. We both desire to freely exercise our procreative powers and you need to know what my gene pool consists of."**

 **"I have no problem with you being biracial. If your father is black, if he is this fine man that visited us this afternoon, I would be honored. Do you know what I think?"**

 **"What, Watson?"**

 **"I see more of you in this man than I ever saw in Morland Holmes. . . his body build, the shape of his head, the mannerisms he exhibits when he is tense or nervous."**

 **Sherlock teared up and lay in Joan's arms as she kissed him, tenderly.**

 **"May I suckle, luv . . . please let me suckle."**

 **Joan opened her sweater and released the front closure of her bra and held Sherlock to her breasts, so that he could find comfort there, suckling as she rocked him in her arms as motion of the ship calmed them both.**

 **The next day they approached John Duverny, the ship's captain and asked him to marry them. That very afternoon they stood together in his chambers with his deputy captain and first mate as witnesses.**

 **"Do you accept this man as your lawfully wedded husband for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live, Joan Watson?"**

 **"I do."**

 **"Sherlock Holmes, do you accept this woman as your lawfully wedded wife for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live."**

 **"I do," Sherlock responded.**

 **"I pronounce you man and wife together. You may kiss your bride, Mr Holmes."**

 **Sherlock bent to place a long tender kiss upon Joan's lips and then they stood with their arms wrapped about each other.**

 **They heard nothing else as they walked the deck after the ceremony. The sensation of commitment to their monogamy had a profound effect upon both of them. They retreated to their cabin after a sumptuous meal at the captain's table. Finally they retreated to their cabin to consummate their marriage.**

 **"Are you prepared to be my wife, Joan, to 'fornicate under consent of king'?"**

 **"Yes, Sherlock, yes!"**

 **"We are going to have lawful wedded intercourse in our marriage bed, Joan. Come lie down with me, please, luv."**

 **Sherlock was already naked as he slipped the straps of her black silk nightgown off her shoulders letting it fall to the floor, leaving her naked before his eyes.**

 **Sherlock cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, opening her mouth up to completely possess it, and Joan kissed him back, grazing his tongue with her teeth, catching his firm buttocks in her hands, pulling him up close so that all his excited flesh pressed against her belly.**

 **Sherlock bore Joan back onto the bed as they continued to kiss each other, murmuring their most passionate endearments to each other.**

 **"Dear Joan . . . luv," Sherlock groaned as he got onto her and began to take her for his wife for the very first time. "Am I really your husband? Did you take me today as your husband?"**

 **"Yes! Yes, Sherlock. I took you today . . . for the rest of my life I take you."**

 **"Thank you . . . Oh, thank you, luv! Oh, God! Lord!"**

 **Their bodies joined at that moment and they moaned out loud together as Sherlock thrust into the deepest part of her and they then began the rocking movements of coitus, gentle at first and then increasing in intensity till their joining was wild, unrestrained, causing them both to gasp for breath till the spasms began to vibrate through Joan's body, causing her to cry out to Sherlock. Sherlock held her fast as multiple orgasms seized her one after another and then suddenly in a blinding flash of blue light Sherlock snorted and grunted as he reached the crest and his pelvis began to jerk and spurt his ejaculate, leaving Joan floating in surrender in his embrace.**

 **"Sherlock . . . I love . . . love you so. Hold me . . . hold me please. Your . . . woman . . . your wife needed you so tonight."**

 **Sherlock simply cherished Joan in his arms, gently kissing her mouth, her cheeks all over her face, letting his hands rove up and down her body as they lay joined together.**

 **"Please massage my mandibular tori the way that you do. I love your hand in my mouth like that. No other woman . . ."**

 **Joan put her tiny hand into his mouth and he groaned and began to salivate profusely as she massaged him there.**

 **"Aaargh! I am intoxicated with you . . . intoxicated with your flesh. Oh, God! Woman! Hold me tight inside you! Yes! Thank you . . . Luv . . . I adore you so."**

 **They lay quietly joined together in their berth as the ship rocked them to sleep that first night.**

 **Sherlock and Joan passed rest of the cruise sunning on the deck on warm days, sampling the rich food, and then retreating to the privacy of their stateroom to give themselves to each other.**

 **And then there were the long conversations as Sherlock tried to come to terms with the revelations of Dr. Geoffrey Durity. At times he was overwhelmed with sadness as he reflected on the pain his mother and Geoffrey had experienced as lovers. Then sometimes he was so angry with Morland Holmes that he was brought to tears.**

 **As they came closer to the time that they would dock again in New York, Joan was aware of his anxiety about the whole situation with his father. He was pacing back and forth naked in their stateroom as Joan lay in bed eating the remnants of their breakfast.**

 **They had been together earlier and they were both still flushed from those passionate moments.**

 **"Sherlock, you are worrying. I think you should come back to bed and let me help you relax."**

 **Sherlock stared at his wife, helpless with his huge equipment bobbing in front of him, yet revealing at the same time all his need as well as all his vulnera** **bility.**

 **"Is it vanity on my part that needs to be reassured that you are satisfied with my care of you sexually?"**

 **"How do you want me to do that, Sherlock? Don't I tell you that nothing means more to me than being with you, hearing you whisper your special words in my ear, hearing the sound of you when having pleasure?"**

 **"I have not asked you previously, but the emergence of the good doctor has forced me to face the fact that Mycroft and I may be only half-brothers. Forgive me my anxiety, Joan, and I know that you were with him only a few times, but I had consoled myself at that time by saying that he and I may have been quite similar and that he was somehow a proxy for me sexually. Now I wonder about the validity of that argument."**

 **Joan sat up straight in bed, extremely upset by this conversation and yet affected by the sight of her husband stark naked at full mast in front of her.**

 **"Do you want to know how I compare you with Mycroft?"**

 **"Precisely! Yes! Because my heart was broken wide open when I saw you in his bed!"**

 **At that moment Sherlock's eyes flooded and spilled over and Joan realized the full seriousness of her brief liaison with Mycroft Holmes and that a declaration on her part was required. The sight of him in tears with his equipment fully in gear was heartbreaking to her.**

 **"Promise me that we will never have this conversation again in our married life, Sherlock. For the record, Mycroft has no similarity to you in that department. He had impressive skills, but he lacked the passion, the stamina that you have, the emotion that is you, Sherlock! In addition he is by no means as well-endowed as you are. But you knew that, didn't you? Is that what you wanted to hear me say? I am a passionate woman, Sherlock. Yes, 'inflated genitalia' and all the rest, that is me. I have always needed a man in the worst way. And from the day we met, I wanted to be with you. I would not have ever been able to refuse you. Do you have any idea how I felt when you went with those whores and any other woman, just to get your rocks off? I wanted you and I needed you in the worst way.** **" Joan was in tears now. "I regret that I ever went with him! I am so sorry, but I can't change the past! Will you get over here now and take care of me? I am so hot for you, Sherlock, that I feel like I am going to spontaneously combust if you don't bring your dick over here and take care of my hot hind parts!"**

 **Sherlock stared at his wife in this moment of anger on her part totally gobsmacked and regretted bringing Mycroft up again, but his desire for her was only intensified by her words of reassurance of his capacity to satisfy her needs as well as her words of her need for him as a man.**

 **"I am sorry, Joan," he said, approaching to sit on the bed near her but she drew away from him into the corner of the bed, drawing the sheet up to cover herself, and now she was sobbing.**

 **"Luv, I canna have congress with you if you don't allow me to touch you," he said as he reached out to take Joan's hand and kissed it.**

 **"I can't change the past, Sherlock. I wish that I could."**

 **"I will never bring this up again. Please forgive me."**

 **Joan relented and turned to him and buried her face in his bare chest, still sobbing and Sherlock began to smooth her hair and then he lifted her face so that he could kiss her all over her face and then he gently drew the sheet away and began to stroke her all over her thighs and hips with just the tips of his fingers.**

 **"I love you, Sherlock, only you. I-I have always loved you. I never wanted Mycroft or anyone else but you. I can't even remember why I even went with Mycroft. When I felt you inside me that first time, it wiped out all memory of Mycroft or Andrew or any other man I had ever been with."**

 **"Come, luv, take what is yours. It belongs to no one else but you," Sherlock said softly.**

 **At that, Joan touched him intimately, and he groaned softly as she climbed onto his ready member just like that.**

 **"Jesus, sweet Jesus! Yes! Oh, God, Joanie! Oh, God! We know what we need, don't we?"**

 **"Oh, Yes, Sherlock! Sherlock!"**

 **"I am so sorry, luv, so sorry. Oh, God, Joan, I just . . . I'm so . . . so in love that it s-scares me. "**

 **They rocked together and Joan stopped sobbing as they were quickly caught up in the age old rhythm of man and woman in coitus, as Sherlock used Joan with all his power, thrusting so deeply into her that her cervix began to quiver in anticipation of that moment when the spasms of orgasm would capture her, spasms that would only let her go when all the stars of the Milky Way would seem to explode in her brain.**

 **"Please . . . I want your baby . . . please. Oh, Sherlock!"**

 **Sherlock went rigid in convulsion as he gasped and cried out, his face contorted in ecstasy. He began to spill his semen deep inside her in spurt after potent spurt.**

 **"Yes! Yes! Oh, God help us!"**

 **"Sherlock . . .Sherlock . . . My beautiful . . . husband, I love . . . love you so!"**

 **Sherlock broke down in her arms, trembling, his pelvis continuing to jerk in spasm, delivering its precious load, as they kissed over and over, sharing and drinking passionate deep wet kiss after wet kiss as they gradually came back to themselves and finally lay stunned in each other's arms as Joan's surrender became complete.**

 **"Joan . . . Joanie . . . luv," Sherlock whispered, smoothing her long hair back from her face, holding her as if she were the most delicate piece of china, as they lay still joined together. "Oh, God, I love you."**

 **"Umm, Sherlock . . . don't you know I never wanted anybody but you?"**

 **"Yes! Yes! Please, I want so . . . to impregnate you, Joan."**

 **"My clock is ticking. I have never been pregnant. But I felt my cervix welcome you deep inside me when we came together, something I have never felt. I don't know the medical significance. I just know what I feel."**

 **"Time will tell, luv," Sherlock murmured, taking Joan's hand and kissing it gently and then placing it over his heart so that she could feel his heart throbbing for her. "I knew I wanted to father a child with you that first day when you came to the brownstone. You were beautiful . . . so beautiful. The power of the attraction I felt for you that day stunned and frightened me. Did you know?"**

 **"Yes, Sherlock. I knew it. I felt it too. There you were, practically naked with all those tattoos and suddenly all I wanted was to feel the incredible scratch of your beard upon my breasts, to clasp your buttocks in my hands."**

 **"I could smell you, your perfume mingled with your marvelous personal scent, and my nose was wide open, a somewhat crude description of my reaction to you, but a basic truth of sexual attraction."**

 **"You smelled like tea and beeswax and violin rosin and sandalwood and pure man and I wanted to be close you from that first moment."**

 **"So much transpired between then and now. We have somehow wasted so much precious time trying to do everything but follow our hearts, haven't we, luv? I don't want to waste another minute of our life together."**

 **"Well, here we are . . . married and trying to make a baby, Sherlock."**

 **"I have dreamed of seeing you with your belly and breasts swollen by pregnancy . . . so many times."**

 **Sherlock kissed her flat belly over and over before they drifted off to sleep, drained emotionally and yet satisfied physically, and exhausted from their passionate afternoon.**

 **When they awakened later in the afternoon, Joan and Sherlock knew that the stormy moments they had experienced earlier were over. They kissed and hugged each other and then quietly dressed to go on deck and enjoy a last night on ship. They were to eat at the captain's table this evening so they dressed for the occasion.**

 **Sherlock was resplendent in his dark navy bespoke suit and Joan was radiantly beautiful in a black silk affair that Sherlock favored especially. It was the dress Joan had bought to wear to the charity affair where she confronted Del Bruner. And that was when she learned quite forcefully Sherlock's special weakness for her in dresses that revealed her back, when he completely lost control of himself and relieved her of that dress and took her in that very moment. Now the Holmes' were quite the elegant couple as they strolled the deck and then proceeded to enter the dining room to sit at the captain's table. Captain Duverny had taken special note of them, not just because he had joined them in marriage, but he had seen that they seemed to be so captured by the passion of their relationship as man and woman.**

 **"So, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, it is evident that you seem to have enjoyed your cruise with us. It has been our pleasure to have you along and we hope that you will travel with us again in the future," Captain Duverny addressed them at the table.**

 **"It has been our pleasure, captain. Thank you for the fine accommodations. We will hopefully do this again."**

 **"Your work as detectives fascinates me. Please tell us about it, if you do not mind."**

 **Sherlock went on to regale the table with anecdotal stories of some of the most interesting of their cases while Joan looked at him with pure adoration in her eyes.**

 **"I see you and your wife, so obviously well-suited, and it occurs to me that your story would have to be quite interesting. I'm a bachelor, not committed to that life, but nonetheless a single man. It is evident that it you have made this marriage choice later rather than sooner. Is there something that either of you would share as to what led you to this important step in your lives," said the captain.**

 **Sherlock looked at Joan and took her hand and kissed it before answering.**

 **"We met five years ago and we fell in love at that moment. We gave it time, tried to resist it, tried to fight it, but all of that was of no use. At that time I believed love to be something of human construct and chose not to believe it to be a necessary adjunct of sexuality. I was happily in error. In a word, we are thankful to have each other. When love happens to you, captain, one must accept it. It's an amazing chemistry, a most uniquely human thing, and it can make one supremely happy."**

 **Everyone at the table sat back for a moment of quiet reflection.**

 **"Mrs. Holmes, would you share your thoughts on this?" the captain asked.**

 **"I concur with my, my husband. Sherlock and I just stumbled onto each other. We were different in every way, from different countries, different cultures; he is a Brit and I am of Chinese descent; but we discovered how much we are alike. Now you see we find ourselves drinking each other's coffee or eating from each other's plate. Sherlock and I are soulmates. His needs are my needs and my needs are his needs."**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan's hand again as the group at the table applauded.**

 **"Ladies, Gentlemen, at this point I beg you to excuse us for the evening. I wish to walk the deck with my wife this last night at sea."**

 **Sherlock and Joan went out into the unusually warm fall night. Sherlock took her hand and they walked slowly the way that lovers walk, stopping from time to look at the new moon that hung heavy in the sky.**

 **"It's so beautiful . . . the moon when it's full like this," Joan said.**

 **Sherlock bent to kiss her neck and her bare back and whisper to her, "Your beauty distracts me even from the moon, luv. The moon's fullness reminds me of you, of your womb full with our offspring, your breasts full and ready to give suck."**

 **"Umm, Sherlock . . . Sher . . ." Sherlock's lips closed over hers in a long kiss.**

 **"Please, let's go to our . . . stateroom, Joan. I need you so very much tonight. and I know that you need me. See I am learning about my woman," he quipped softly.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock, I do need you," Joan whispered leaning close so she could feel the hardness of his body against hers.**

 **The Norwegian Cruise line ship docked the next morning and Sherlock and Joan took a taxi back to their brownstone. They made their way up the stairs and Sherlock unlocked the floor and tossed their baggage into the foyer.**

 **"Wait just a moment, luv," Sherlock said as he stepped back to Joan, picked her up in his arms and carried her across the threshold of the brownstone and then sat her on her feet and kissed her tenderly on her mouth.**

 **At that moment young Carlos Reyes appeared. He had become a regular part of their lives since they had solved the case of the murder of his girl friend and Sherlock had asked him to look in on Geoffrey Durity while they were away. He smiled broadly as the significance of Sherlock carrying Joan across the threshold became clear.**

 **"I guess I should say 'congratulations,' the young fellow said at the sight of Sherlock and Joan in such a tender moment.**

 **He hugged Sherlock and shyly planted a kiss on Joan's cheek which she graciously accepted.**

 **"And our . . . guest, Mr. Durity, is he faring well?"**

 **"Mr. Durity was taken to hospital last night with some breathing problems. He was pretty sick so Mrs. Hudson called an ambulance. He is at Methodist Hospital. You were so near you to the end of your trip we were trying to wait to tell you when you got back."**

 **"Well, we must see about him right away. He suffers from a serious heart problem," Sherlock said. "We'll take a taxi."**

 **Sherlock picked through the mail that had come in their absence and took along a large Manila envelope as they left for the hospital. As they rode along, he showed Joan the return address on the envelope and handed it to her. It contained the reply from DNA Diagnostics on the DNA samples he had sent in.**

 **"Please, Joan, open it for me. I cannot bear to do it. This is as important to you as it is to me now."**

 **"What do you mean by 'now'? I know that I am your wife. I am as concerned as you to know this."**

 **"But, Joan, luv, I am positive that I have impregnated you. If this man is my father, you are carrying his grandchild in your belly."**

 **Sherlock's eyes were clearer than Joan could ever remember as she gazed into them.**

 **"How do you know I am pregnant, Sherlock?"**

 **"I know, Joan. Your kisses are different today, more alkaline; there is a subtle difference in the feel of y-your breasts and the color of your n-nipples. And y-you taste different down there, still quite delightful, but substantially more . . . more fruit like. Please Joan, open the damn envelope," he said softly.**

 **Joan sat stunned, unable to speak for a moment and then slowly opened the envelope an read the results out loud.**

 **"In the case of Sherlock Holmes and Geoffrey Durity the probability is 99.9999 per cent that Geoffrey Durity is the father."**

 **Sherlock gripped Joan's hand as he took the paper to read for himself through tear-filled eyes.**

 **"I've found my father, Joan. I am not the spawn of that miserable Morland Holmes. I have clarity now, such clarity."**

 **The taxi pulled up in front of Methodist Hospital and they quickly went in and made their way to Geoffrey Durity's room. He was in the ICU unit in critical condition.**

 **Joan quickly assessed his medical situation from his chart as Sherlock approached Geoffrey Durity's bed. He was sleeping but awakened when Sherlock came near.**

 **"Sherlock . . . you have returned with Joan. I regret that I suffered another attack. My condition is not good."**

 **"We received the DNA results," Sherlock said softly. "I-I am your son. You are my father."**

 **Geoffrey Durity opened his eyes wide realizing the full import of Sherlock's words.**

 **"Son . . . my son, you are my son."**

 **"Yes, you are my . . . my father and Joan who is now my wife, is carrying your grandchild," Sherlock said and broke down and fell into his father's arms upon the bed. Then he began to sob. "Thank you, for coming to me. Thank you so much."**

 **Joan stood by Sherlock, stroking and patting him, trying to comfort him, realizing that his feelings of joy at discovering his father but at the same time seeing him so obviously terminally ill, were combining to create an incredibly painful situation for both him and his father.**

 **"Sherlock, your . . . father is quite ill. He cannot take this kind of excitement.**

 **Durity's heart monitor was spiking with the increased level of stress and a nurse came in and asked them to step out for a few minutes. Joan took Sherlock's hand and led him out to the waiting area. He was trembling still, overcome by the tragic set of circumstances he was confronting.**

 **"Sherlock, just be glad that you and he both know the truth now. As you continue to review the events of your life to this point, you will understand so many things."**

 **"I am totally gobsmacked by this evidence. It all makes sense, Joan. Do you realize what this means to me?"**

 **"In what context?"**

 **"In regard to Morland Holmes? Am I to publicly renounce him as my father?"**

 **"This is to give you truth, Sherlock, not something you bring further ruin to your mother's reputation. You and Geoffrey Durity know the truth. That is all that is important."**

 **Sherlock took Joan's hand and kissed it fervently.**

 **"And what is this you were saying about the state of my uterus?"**

 **"Darling, you are most definitely pregnant. You tossed your pills the first day of our cruise, some ten days ago. We have been extremely active, luv, since that day. I began to notice these changes three days ago. Are you happy, Joan?"**

 **Joan's eyes filled as she took Sherlock's hand and placed it protectively on her belly. She caught her lower lip in her teeth and then she whispered his name.**

 **"I love you. I love you so much."**

 **At that moment the doctor came to get them. Geoffrey Durity was extremely critical.**

 **Sherlock and Joan went Into the ICU unit again where Geoffrey Durity lay in extremis. He tried to lift his hand and Sherlock took it in his. His lips were moving but his words were inaudible so Sherlock bent to hear him.**

 **"Son, I . . . I have always . . . always loved you. Take care of. . . my grand. . . child."**

 **"I love you . . . father, my father! Oh, God, I love you for loving my mother."**

 **Geoffrey Durity nodded and smiled weakly before he was taken with a final seizure which stopped the heart monitor. He lay dead before them with his unseeing eyes wide open and Sherlock fell upon his father sobbing.**

 **Joan's tears flowed as she placed her hand over Geoffrey Durity's face and closed his eyes. In spite of her exposure to this kind of death so many times even as a physician, this was quite different. She knew in the deepest part of her that Sherlock was right in his analysis of her physically. From the moment that Sherlock had declared her pregnant in that taxi she had been convinced that she was carrying his child. And Geoffrey Durity was the grandfather of the child that she was carrying safely within her womb. The pieces had all fallen into place. They were all part of each other now.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Pull of His Gravity, Part Two**

 **Chapter Four**

 **By phaedraphelan**

 **Summary: Sherlock and Joan are expectant parents. How will they cope with this new set of circumstances**

 **Disclaimer: "Elementary" is the artistic property of CBS and no infringement is intended.**

 **Geoffrey Durity was dead. Joan gripped Sherlock's hand again as they stood by the bed of the man who they now knew to be his father. Tears continued to spill over and stream down Sherlock's cheeks as he forced himself to come to terms with what had just happened. They sat with Geoffrey Durity's body for several hours. Finally Joan gently urged Sherlock to leave.**

 **"Sherlock, I think we should go home now. We . . . you can be thankful that you found each other while it was still possible."**

 **Sherlock wiped his eyes with his white handkerchief, stuffed it into his pocket and got up to leave the room. After making arrangements to have his father's body cremated, Sherlock visited Durity's bedside for a final time and then they left the hospital.**

 **Sherlock hailed a taxi and they rode home in silence, their minds full of the information that had just impacted their lives so powerfully. As Sherlock wearily mounted the steps to the brownstone and let them into the house, Joan caught his hand in hers, drew him close and hugged him.**

 **"I will make tea, Sherlock."**

 **She led him into the parlor, encouraged him to sit down on the overstuffed sofa and then she knelt to remove his shoes and then stood up and leaned forward and loosened Sherlock's collar as he gazed after her with nothing but sheer adoration in his eyes as she left the room to make his tea.**

 **Sherlock was still sitting quietly when she brought him his tea and knelt to present it to him.**

 **"Thank you, luv," he said, drawing her up onto the sofa beside him.**

 **Joan simply snuggled close to her husband as they allowed the effect of the recent events of their lives to settle down upon them. Their mood was decidedly somber as they sat watching the fire in the fireplace.**

 **"Sherlock, you are so quiet. Is there something you want to say? Is there something you are feeling that I can help you with?"**

 **"I know that I loved that man, Joan. How could I love him so quickly when I hardly knew him."**

 **"He had loved you from the day you were born. It is a simple as that."**

 **"I just need you to stay close to me, Joan. I am thankful that I have you as my wife . . . more thankful than I could ever have imagined."**

 **Joan drew Sherlock's hand to her flat belly and held it there.**

 **"You are with child, Joan. I know it and you know it too, don't you?"**

 **"I believe that your deductive powers and powers of observation are not to be questioned."**

 **"We will do the test. You can confirm my conclusion."**

 **Sherlock unbuttoned Joan's blouse and the front closure to her bra so that her lovely breasts were revealed and then brushed her nipples with the back of his hand causing Joan to tremble under his touch.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock . . ." Joan sighed.**

 **"I really desire to squeeze your lovely udders, but this morning you winced in pain when I ever so gently did that, a sure indication of early pregnancy. I don't want to cause you pain, Joan."**

 **Sherlock unzipped Joan's skirt, pushing it down so that her belly was revealed and Sherlock's hand spread over her lower abdomen and rested there.**

 **"Your warmth in this area fairly advertises that your body is quite busy in this area doing what the female of the species is uniquely designed to do."**

 **"I believe you. I want it to be true and I sense that everything you have said is true."**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan tenderly upon her mouth, searching it, opening it up, drinking her kisses, exploring it with the tip of his tongue.**

 **"Just . . . just take me to bed. I am suddenly so very much needing you to be my husband."**

 **Sherlock picked Joan up and carried her off to their bed.**

 **Later on around three a.m. Joan was awakened by the sound of Sherlock weeping into his pillow.**

 **"Sherlock . . . baby . . . it's all right."**

 **Joan reached for Sherlock and took him into her arms and then Sherlock broke down completely, his body wracked with sobs.**

 **"Why, Joan, why? My mother . . . Geoffrey . . .me . . .** **we deserved to be a family. Why couldn't we have been a family? Morland has always hated me. Perhaps he sensed that I was not his blood, but he was cruel in the extreme. He knew I needed my mum. And he took her from me."**

 **"Sherlock, ar least you know the truth now. You met your father and you know the truth."**

 **"I would love to confront Morland Holmes with the truth."**

 **"But that would defeat the purpose of all your mother's suffering. Morland would happily disinherit you. Your mother and Geoffrey both wanted to protect you from that. Don't make all their suffering of no account."**

 **"But what do I do, woman? What do I do now?"**

 **"You live the most productive life possible, just like you have been trying to do. And you become the father that Morland never was to this spark of life inside me. You are wise and beautiful in your own special way, Sherlock."**

 **"Take care of me, luv. Please take care of me. I need to suckle, Joan."**

 **Sherlock found Joan's soft breasts and began to suckle gently, well aware of their sensitivity due to what he already was convinced to be her state of early pregnancy, as she rocked him back to sleep.**

 **Sherlock took care of a quiet burial for Geoffrey Durity. As he and Joan stood in the rain at the graveside in the Queens cemetery, they reflected on the effect this man had had upon their lives in the short time they had known him. Sherlock had been in a very pensive frame of mind since he learned on the day that Geoffrey Durity died that he was in fact his father.**

 **"You did all that you could, Sherlock. It was all out of your hands. Just be thankful that you met him and got to know certain things before he died. You had a father who loved you and never forgot about you."**

 **Sherlock lifted Joan's hand to his lips.**

 **"Let's go home and leave my father to rest in peace."**

 **When they arrived back at the brownstone, Sherlock went to the room his father had occupied and retrieved his briefcase with his important papers and set about examining them.**

 **Joan made him tea and set it beside him while he perused the material there.**

 **"Joan," Sherlock said softly. "would you come here please. I need you to see what I have here."**

 **Joan came and pulled up a chair beside Sherlock.**

 **"His will is here. He left everything to me as his heir. Look at this . . . a house in London. There is even heir property in Jamaica." Sherlock sat back in his chair astounded.**

 **"He took care of you. He sensed that you were his. He also evidently knew that things were tenuous with you and Morland."**

 **"I will take steps immediately to put all of these properties in your name. Whatever may happen to me, I want you and our offspring cared for. I owe that to you."**

 **"Sherlock! Are you sure you want to do that?"**

 **"Absolutely, without question. I want you cared for, no matter what happens to me. And I want this cared for," he said as he patted Joan's flat belly.**

 **Joan that very afternoon went to the local pharmacy and picked up a pregnancy test. She walked back in to where Sherlock was still working on the estate of Geoffrey Durity.**

 **"Sherlock, I know that you consider yourself infallible on this matter, but for the sake of my own sanity I have to know if I am carrying your child. Hence I have this pregnancy test which I am going to take now. Would you please accompany me to the bathroom?"**

 **Sherlock smiled at Joan and quickly got up to observe her take the test that would confirm his diagnosis.**

 **They went into the bathroom and Joan handed him the package with the test.**

 **"Please open that for me and hand it to me, Sherlock," Joan said as she squatted on the toilet and began to urinate.**

 **Sherlock complied and handed her the wand so that she could take the test. Then she handed it back to Sherlock and got up from the toilet to watch the test come up with positive results.**

 **As the positive sign became evident, Joan just stared at it, stunned, and Sherlock caught her up in his arms and kissed her tenderly upon her mouth, first gently caressing her lips with his own and then deepening his kiss to possess her mouth completely when she eagerly responded to his kiss.**

 **"Umm . . . Sherlock, Sherlock," Joan swooned in his arms.**

 **"You, my dear, are surely pregnant. You are . . . are carrying our . . . our wee one!" Sherlock was suddenly in awe in the face of the evidence that Joan was indeed pregnant and could not continue.**

 **He took a Joan by her hand and led her from the bathroom to the bedroom just across the hall where they often slept together. Picking her up in his arms he carried her to the bed and laid her down on it, took off her shoes and, kicking off his shoes, he lay down beside Joan and they continued to kiss over and over, as he pulled her clothes away so that he could touch her breasts and then her flat belly, whispering softly all the love words that he could think of as Joan cooed her responses.**

 **"Look at you, luv, look at you . . . beautiful woman, a beautiful and fecund lass . . . You will be lovely with your belly swollen and heavy with our wee one. Even now your breasts are swollen. And you have that peculiar radiance that pregnant women possess. I saw it come over you several days ago. That glow that I had never seen in your countenance before . . . radiating from inside out, luv, making the most beautiful woman I know even more beautiful than I have ever seen you."**

 **"Um, Sherlock, I want to carry for you. I never wanted to have a baby, but now I am so happy . . . so happy. Ever since we began to have intercourse together, I wanted to be pregnant for you."**

 **Sherlock let his fingers run over Joan's delicate features and then touch her soft lips. At that Joan opened her mouth and as Sherlock's middle finger slipped inside her mouth, she sucked and the deeply sensual gesture caused them both to become unhinged.**

 **"God, Joan, Oh, God, I love you . . . so much."**

 **They pulled desperately at one another's clothes till they were both practically naked and Sherlock caught Joan up in his arms and got on top of her and they cried out as their parts joined and then sighed and gasped as they began to rock rhythmically. They were completely gone, giving themselves to each other, moaning softly, whispering all the love words they knew, weeping for the joy that was in their hearts till Joan was seized with spasm after spasm, going rigid in Sherlock's arms, wailing Sherlock's name.**

 **"Sher . . . lock . . . Sher . . ."**

 **Sherlock was kissing her all of her face, deep passionate sucking kisses as he felt Joan's body wracked by one climax after another.**

 **"Sherlock . . . love you . . . so much!" she cried out.**

 **At that moment when he saw Joan's beautiful features contorted in such an ecstatic paroxysm, Sherlock snorted as a powerful surge ran up his spine gripping him in a series of convulsive spasms as his brain exploded in the brilliant blue lights of the summit.**

 **"Joan . . . Joanie . . . luv," Sherlock gasped as his eyes rolled back in his head. "Dear Lord . . . "**

 **Finally they just lay babbling incoherently to each other, rubbing each other, allowing their passions to gradually calm and cool.**

 **"Luv, I promise to be the best father that I know how to be to the wee one. I promise that to you, wife Joan," Sherlock whispered into Joan's ear.**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan's forehead tenderly and drew the covers up over them as they lay together, still joined as man and wife. The remainder of the afternoon they stayed in bed, giving to each other, coming to terms with the idea of becoming parents.**

 **When Sherlock and Joan picked up their lives again after their marriage as well as dealing with Geoffrey Durity's death and the stunning realization that Joan was pregnant, they realized that their personal world had changed dramatically.**

 **Sherlock and Joan had bonded completely as a couple. Although they continued to be active in their work as detectives, their focus had turned to one another as never before. Cases would often seem to involve them for a few days to the exclusion of all other matters, but even in those cases they found time every day to give in to the powerful sensual urges that now controlled them above everything else, even if it meant finding an obscure cleaning closet to relieve their sexual passions or stopping during a case to spend a few hours in a hotel giving themselves to each other.**

 **Sherlock seemed to find himself as never before. It was hard to tell what caused the change in him. Obviously his marriage to Joan and her ensuing pregnancy deeply affected him, grounded him emotionally, but the knowledge that he and Joan alone shared of his true parentage gave his psyche a tremendous boost. Additionally, there was a clarity to his intellect that even exceeded what had been there before coupled with a renewed determination to remain in control of his addiction.**

 **Joan was different also. For the first time in her life she was able to love without reservation, in spite of and because she understood the imperfections of this complicated man to whom she was committed. She was thrilled to carry for Sherlock. She had come to terms with the reality that she had wanted him to impregnate her from the day she met him. If he had asked her, she would have followed him to his bed that very day.**

 **Sherlock and Joan were having coffee early on the Monday after the business with Geoffrey Durity. They were still absorbing the significance of his recent appearance in their lives as well as enjoying the fact of Joan's pregnancy. Sherlock was fascinated by every subtle change in Joan's body even at this early stage of things and he leaned over to nuzzle her cheek as she sat next to him at the table.**

 **"How does my lovely lass fare today? You do look so ravishing these days. I find it difficult to concentrate on anything when I look at you and my mind is so full of memories of being in your arms."**

 **Joan flushed and let Sherlock steal what was to be a little kiss but then continued and deepened.**

 **"Thank you, luv," Sherlock said, letting his hand drop to pat and rub her belly.**

 **Joan put her hand on top of Sherlock's and enjoyed the feel of the curly hair growing on the back of his hand.**

 **"You know we have to see Gregson by eleven. Are we about to get involved in something that will make us miss that appointment? You know that I find you impossible to resist in those sweatpants."**

 **"I am trying to resist the urges I am having this morning, but you entice me, luv. I am helpless in the face of your beauty. I will never get enough of you, Joan."**

 **Joan let her head rest upon Sherlock's shoulder but he was unable to hold himself back any longer when her hand came easily to rest on his inner thigh. The intimate touch aroused him to his very core.**

 **"Oh, God, Joan!"**

 **Suddenly shoving the table away, he drew Joan onto his lap as a terribly masculine growl escaped him as he searched for her mouth like a man possessed.**

 **Finding it, he kissed her and his kisses became more insistent, opening up her mouth to join with his in kisses that they both knew could only lead to one thing.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, can you. . . take . . . me back to bed? Please . . .baby. Don't wait another moment!"**

 **Sherlock scooped Joan up and carried her back to their bed. They did not stop till they were joined again, rocking in coitus, moaning to each other as they reached for the summit and found it together. And then there was nothing they could do except hold on to one another as they lay exhausted in broad daylight in their marriage bed.**

 **Sherlock and Joan were literally giddy with their emotions as they enjoyed being married, being able to fully express all their passionate feelings for one another and, at the same time be in the realization that they were making a baby together.**

 **When they went to see Mary Watson after they had married on the ship, she knew immediately that Joan was pregnant.**

 **"And when did all this happen?" she inquired imperiously. "And without benefit of marriage? I know that you have always defied custom, but this? I have been aware for some time that the two of you had become more than just partners. I do have eyes, you know. I am not really surprised at that development. In fact I expected it."**

 **"I must say to you that your daughter and I are most definitely married. I respect her and your family too much to be so careless as to impregnate her without committing myself to her in marriage. We were married aboard ship last month. We both wanted to do something very simple and it seemed the right thing to do at the time. Please forgive us for not having family with us for that event, Mrs. Watson," Sherlock said in his most contrite manner.**

 **"Well, I guess I must forgive you both . . . especially since you are obviously giving me what I had felt was lost to me . . . a grandchild from my daughter."**

 **Mary Watson hugged Sherlock and hugged and kissed Joan. Then she stood Joan away from her, ran her hands over her body and them took Joan's face in her hands.**

 **"You have made my daughter very happy. The yin is very strong in her as she nurtures the life within her." At this she turned to look at Sherlock and continued. "And it is obvious that the yang is being well cared for, my son. Take care of my daughter and the yang will never suffer for lack of attention."**

 **"I promise that I will be faithful in every way said. The moon grotto will not suffer want," Sherlock said sagely using the terminology that he knew his mother-in-law would appreciate.**

 **Joan flushed and smiled, unable to hide her state of joy.**

 **"I love Sherlock . . . more than I could ever imagine loving anyone, mother."**

 **"Then do not let the jade stalk be in need. I discern that the yang in your Sherlock is very powerful. I am confident that he is attending to your every need. I hope that you will spend the weekend. The spare room is ready, Joan. I will be serving dinner at six."**

 **Mary Watson smiled an all-knowing smile as she watched Joan take Sherlock by the hand and lead him to the spare room at the other end of the apartment. She had known that Joan loved Sherlock from the first evening when she met him three years earlier. The chemistry between them had been obvious. Now seeing them finally together and so tuned in sexually fulfilled her deepest wish for them."**

 **Joan and Sherlock went into the spare room and Joan shut the door behind them and then immediately pushed Sherlock up against the wall and kissed him soundly, all the while pulling his shirt out of his trousers so she could rub his bare chest with one hand while she was unzipping his trousers with the other, releasing him for her need.**

 **"My, my, luv, we are quite keen today, aren't we?" Sherlock murmured softly, chuckling as he gripped Joan's hips and pulled her up even closer against him.**

 **He loved to see Joan consumed with her need for him, hot for him this way. He had never known another woman who was so direct when her desires were at full tilt. There was no coyness, no reticence, and he loved her this way.**

 **"Sherlock . . . Sherlock . . . Oooh, Sherlock! Help me, Sherlock. You know me better than I know myself. You always have."**

 **Sherlock's nostrils flared as he inhaled the scent of Joan and was completely aroused. The taste of her mouth blended with the taste of his and they both began to salivate copiously, sucking and drinking from the other's lips. Sherlock picked Joan up and carried her to the huge bed, pulled off the heavy brocade spread with one hand and laid her on it and in one motion reached under her skirt and drew off her panties and tossed them aside. Sherlock quickly finished removing his trousers and there he was, ready for her. He lay down beside her and starting with her tiny feet he caressed and kissed her feet and calves and her legs all the way up her inner thighs.**

 **"Ah, the moon grotto, the beautiful moon grotto," he sighed, as he reached his goal.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock! Yes!" Joan gasped, her hands in his hair as he gave his undivided attention to pleasuring her.**

 **Sherlock took his time bringing Joan to ecstasy over and over but then he could hold back no longer and suddenly he lifted her legs to his shoulders and came inside her with such power that their eyes locked as they found their rhythm and began to rock together.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, yes!" Joan groaned, rejoicing in connecting with him this way. "Thank you, baby! Thank you!"**

 **"It is so beautiful . . . so beautiful!" Sherlock gasped as he saw the point of their connection, "seeing us joined . . . this way! Oh, God, so beautiful!"**

 **Joan gripped him, digging her nails into his forearms as spasm after spasm seized her, causing her to go rigid in the connection.**

 **"Yes! Yes! Sher . . . Sherlock!" Joan said as she began to see huge golden and bright blue haloes exploding one after another.**

 **"Woman! Joan!" Sherlock cried out when he felt her deepest parts throbbing against his, and then he was incoherent, babbling Joan's name over and over, calling on the Lord. "Joan . . . Joanie . . . luv. . . sweet . . . Sweetheart . . . Oh, God!"**

 **"Baby, help me!" Joan wailed softly. "Help me, Sherlock . . .Oooh!"**

 **The full force of orgasm hit Sherlock and his eyes rolled back into his head, brilliant blue and pink lights beginning to ignite in his brain, his pelvis contracting in spasm after spasm till he spent himself deep inside her.**

 **"Oh . . . Sherlock, I . . . love . . . you," Joan gasped as her body went limp, floating in surrender to him.**

 **At that very moment when he sensed her capitulation, Sherlock let her down from his shoulders and caught her up in his arms, cherishing and kissing her as his whole body continued to tremble and shake as he finally calmed, tenderly stroking Joan's hair and face as he repeatedly told her how much he loved her till they finally slipped into the afterglow and lay in a dazed stupor till they reached for one another again.**

 **Sherlock and Joan spent that passionate weekend with her mother, or rather they spent the weekend with each other in her mother's apartment. It was a spacious apartment in lower Manhattan and the spare bedroom was on the opposite side of the apartment from Joan's mother's bedroom so they were able to be totally uninhibited with one another. They spent the whole weekend in the bedroom with the exception of when they emerged to eat. Mary Watson gladly gave them their private space, discerning that they were helpless in the face of what was going on between them, and just happy that her daughter had finally found the man who was her match in every way.**

 **Mary Watson had a private conversation with Joan before she left her home that weekend.**

 **"Joan, I am so happy that you and Sherlock have found each other. You may have thought that I did not approve initially, but I understand your needs as a woman, Joan. You may not see your seventy-year old mother as a woman with sexual needs, but I must tell you that your stepfather and I have intercourse nearly every day and I would not have it any other way or I would be frantic with need. If you are at all like me, you have the same needs and I understand that. You have obviously found a man who is 'moon grotto crazy' and he is keeping you busy. This is a good thing for both of you. I am sorry we never talked this way before, but times have changed and our culture has changed as well and that is a good thing."**

 **Joan's eyes filled as she realized that she and her mother were kindred spirits sexually.**

 **"I have been so passionate, Mother, so hot sexually all my life. It made me make the wrong decisions on men, even made me seek to take care of the needs of the Jade Gate myself just to be able to concentrate on my work, school, or career. It has been so hard for me to control myself." Joan flushed as she revealed herself to her mother this way for the first time.**

 **"I understand and I am glad that Sherlock is the man for you. He is obviously very passionate and satisfies your needs. Be aware that having a child will not change your sexual nature. You will always want your man. Don't let anything interfere with that."**

 **"Mom, he wants it all the time, just like me. Some days we stay in bed all day just . . . doing it."**

 **"Screwing, Joan. Sometimes you will need to 'screw' all day long and that is just fine," Mary Watson smiled as she used the word that let Joan know she understood completely.**

 **When Joan was about eight weeks along, she woke up early one morning gagging and she knew that she was in for a severe siege of morning sickness. Up until that point they had not told Tommy Gregson that Joan was pregnant. But the morning sickness came with such a vengeance that it became necessary to immediately make her condition known. Sherlock went to the precinct to break the news to Gregson.**

 **"Captain . . . I wanted a moment with you today."**

 **"Sure, Holmes, what's up?"**

 **Sherlock was obviously somewhat ill at ease, so Gregson gave him his full attention.**

 **"Its Joan. She is quite ill."**

 **"I'm sorry, Sherlock. Please take the time you need to attend to her. "**

 **"Well, s-she is actually . . . pregnant, quite pregnant."**

 **"Joan is pregnant! That is great news! Man, you did a job on her, didn't you?" He joked with Sherlock.**

 **"I fear that I did. I am totally culpable." Sherlock flushed deeply as he said those words. "I am thrilled, of course, but more than a little anxious. The prospect of me as a father is quite daunting. I have some very outstanding flaws of character. But when I saw Joan holding Kitty's little one in her arms, I was so affected by that. I knew that having a baby would fulfill something very special between Joan and me. I will delight to see her holding our wee one in her arms. I want to give her that."**

 **"I think that you and Joan will be great parents. Ever since you two married I have been waiting for this news!"**

 **Sherlock smiled at Gregson and shrugged his shoulders still not quite adjusted to the possibility that he and Joan would be great parents as Gregson went to tell Marcus the news.**

 **The morning sickness was worse than Joan could have possibly imagined. She tried everything but nothing relieved the nausea which often lasted all day. Sherlock was there for her, holding her as she retched and gagged till she was too weak to stand up, wiping her face with a cool cloth when it was over, picking her up and putting her in the tub and lovingly bathing her when she was so nauseous she could barely lift her head. Then Sherlock would wrap her in a huge towel and dry her like she was a child before carrying her back to their bed.**

 **"Sherlock, you are so good to me . . . and I feel so lousy."**

 **Sherlock held Joan tenderly in his arms, simply trying to comfort her, calm her, but finding himself helpless to end the nearly constant nausea his woman was experiencing.**

 **"I am truly sorry to see you so ill, especially since I must share a great measure of guilt for your condition."**

 **Sherlock smoothed Joan's long hair and kissed her gently on her forehead, but he restrained himself from seeking intimacy with Joan, despite the fact that he found her altogether alluring in her state of early pregnancy-the swelling of her breasts, the additional roundness of her hips, the extra plumpness of her lips all combining to intensify the level of his excitement. This, along with the fact that they had previously been on a nonstop marathon sexually, left Sherlock in dire straits. In times past, Sherlock would have simply sought others to meet his needs, but since being committed to Joan, he had no desire to look elsewhere to satisfy his passionate urges. His sexual desires now focused on only one person. It was Joan he wanted and no one else. He knew what Joan would do for him and there was no thought of anyone else now when his passionate urges came over him. The only voice he wanted to hear calling his name in the throes of ecstasy was Joan's. And then there was the realization that he had impregnated her, that she was carrying his child, filling him with a peculiar pride in his maleness that he had never before sensed in himself.**

 **Sherlock tucked Joan in and went to make her a cup of a special Chinese tea that her mother had sent to help with her morning sickness. He had been doing extensive research on all aspects of pregnancy and constantly observed Joan these days so that he could catalogue all her symptoms.**

 **"Thank you, Sherlock," Joan said as she sipped the tea he had brought to her in bed.**

 **"It's the least I can do, luv. As I said, I am at least fifty percent responsible for your condition."**

 **"I think you were just too irresistible, Sherlock. You made me throw all caution to the wind. You made me want your baby so. You are the only man who made me want to have his baby, Sherlock. No one else . . . not Mycroft or Andrew or any other man in my life. Only you . . . my darling Sherlock! That day when we first met and I laid eyes on you, do you know what I said to myself? I said 'There is the father of my children.' "**

 **Sherlock took Joan's hand in his and kissed it and just held it, his eyes bright with tears of gratitude that spilled over and streamed down his cheeks.**

 **But then, as Joan came into her fourth month, her morning sickness suddenly came to an end. She wakened to a raging appetite for food and for her husband.**

 **"Please . . . Sherlock, wake up, baby," Joan murmured, reaching for Sherlock in their bed.**

 **"Umm . . . luv . . . Oh, my!"**

 **Joan was climbing onto him in a passionate frenzy, rubbing him on his chest and Sherlock came full awake with a start and caught her up onto him.**

 **"Sherlock, I'm not sick this morning . . . I'm absolutely pregnant and I'm not sick."**

 **"You are absolutely not sick? I am overjoyed, you beautiful pregnant woman! And I am overjoyed that you are feeling better. I will make you breakfast, darling."**

 **"Not before I let you know how much I have missed you, not before I show you . . ."**

 **Joan threw back their covers and they began to caress and rub upon each other feverishly, laughing softly as they arranged themselves in their marriage bed so that they could join as man and woman again in intercourse. Sherlock paused and let his eyes feast upon Joan who, four months along, had suddenly become so radiant, so blooming, so full of life that the sight of her took his breath away. Her breasts were already double normal size, lush and beautiful, resting upon her now gently rounding baby bump. Her hips had begun to be temptingly fleshy as well and Sherlock had been longing to give her hind parts a proprietary smack but had refrained because he was concerned for her state of health as she coped with her prolonged siege of morning sickness.**

 **"You are absolutely beautiful, Joan. Seeing you like this brings my heart literally to my mouth."**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan all over her face, passionate and sensual, yet tender kisses as he deeply inhaled the beloved scent of his wife at the same time. Then He buried his face into her neck and then her underarm, snorting as he found pleasure in inhaling her personal scent, finding his way around her midriff till he was between her breasts, continuing to inhale and gasp for the scent of her soft skin as if his life depended upon it.**

 **"Dear God, I love you!"**

 **"Oh, yes, Sherlock . . . Please touch me the way you do. I want you so."**

 **"Oh, Joan, I need you so very badly as well. I have longed so much for the comfort of your flesh, woman. You know that I have been literally aching for you, my testicles felt like they were going to turn blue they are so full. I hardly know what to do with myself."**

 **Sherlock kissed her belly over and over and then he found the lushness of her swollen breasts and sighed and groaned with the satisfaction as Joan cherished him in her arms, relishing the sensation of his lips upon her breasts as he kissed and gently suckled there.**

 **"Tell me if this pains you, luv, and I will stop immediately, but your udders completely intoxicate me . . . Oh, my God, I am intoxicated!"**

 **"Don't stop, Sherlock. Please don't stop."**

 **Sherlock groaned as he became so completely aroused that he mounted Joan in that moment and they both cried out softly as they came together and were lost in the timeless rhythm of coitus with each other.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Elementary**

 **The Pull of His Gravity, Part Two**

 **Chapter 5**

 **By phaedraphelan**

 ** _Summary: Sherlock and Joan are a passionate married couple expecting their first child. They find it difficult to balance their life dedicated to crime-solving with their other favorite pastime, but they manage it somehow. This is Joanlock pure and simple, exploring the depth of erotic love between a mature man and a mature woman who are first and foremost friends. Be warned that the birthing account is quite graphic._**

 ** _Disclaimer: "Elementary" is the artistic property of CBS and no infringement is intended_** **.**

 **Joan suddenly was past the period of morning sickness. It had been brutal for her. She could not have anticipated how sick she would be and for Sherlock it had been torture to see her suffering so, despite Joan's reassurances that women with morning sickness tend to have healthier babies. It had also been torture for Sherlock to go abstinent for the whole second month of the pregnancy after becoming accustomed to the sexual marathon they had been enjoying. And this was coupled with the fact that Joan was more radiantly beautiful than he had ever seen her.**

 **Now as Sherlock and Joan lay in their bed celebrating the resumption of the intensely sexual aspect of their relationship, Sherlock threw back the covers so that he could gaze at his wife at three months along and he could not help focusing on her swelling breasts and fuller hips, as her somewhat athletic physique had changed into the soft roundness of early pregnancy. Her braids were now nearly down to her waist and he loved to watch her rest her hands on the modest baby bump that was beginning to be evident.**

 **"I am so sorry that I was so sick, Sherlock. The smell of everything, even the scent of you that I love so much just made me so nauseous."**

 **"I understand. I felt so helpless, luv. I could do nothing to make it better."**

 **"You took very good care of me, Sherlock. I could feel you loving me all through the ordeal. When you bathed me, washed my hair and braided it for me . . . I never had a man do those things for me. I should not have been surprised, because you always take care of me when I have my period. You made me really feel loved, Sherlock."**

 **"Living with you for more than four years I feel that I know so much about you, but I am realizing there is so much more to learn especially in the matter of your . . . womanly vicissitudes, let us say. I find them fascinating in all aspects."**

 **"So you know me so well. What am I thinking about now, Mr. Holmes?" Joan teased.**

 **"You are wanting congress in the worst way. What we just did in no way satisfied your appetite for coitus. You are the most passionate woman I have ever known, Joanie."**

 **Joan blushed at the truthfulness of his analysis of her sexuality.**

 **"Well, you are the most passionate man I have ever known. I was so worried when I was sick about you** **r** **not getting what you ne** **ed."**

 **"I suffered, darling. A whole month is a long time for me. But you know that I will never put this thing into a other woman. I had to relieve myself a couple of times and I felt like I had a case of the blue balls, but I got through it," Sherlock said, winking at her in that way that just undid Joan completely.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock! I love you so much!" Joan said as Sherlock drew her onto him again. She never had to pretend she had had enough with Sherlock. He understood her need completely.**

 **Joan buried her face in his chest, nipping his nipples gently and then she put her nose into his hairy armpit inhaling the scent of him that she loved so and Sherlock just laughed out loud as he reveled in Joan's playful presentation of herself to him. Sherlock pinched her gently rounding hips and she giggled softly, pretending to try to evade his busy fingers.**

 **"God, your are so beautiful like this," Sherlock exclaimed as he began to take turns kissing each of her swollen breasts all over.**

 **"Oooh, Sherlock!"**

 **"May I give suck, luv? I know your lovely udders are tender, but I promise to handle with care," Sherlock begged, his mouth gently sucking her nipples as his hands loosened her thick braids so that her long hair fell down onto him.**

 **"Ooooooh, yes, Sherlock! Yes!"**

 **"You are so. . . beautiful . . . so beautiful," he murmured between sucking as he was overwhelmed in that moment.**

 **Sherlock became deeply flushed, his nostrils flaring to inhale her scent as Joan became supremely aware of his member throbbing against her belly, signaling his readiness to take her again and she began to moan the way she did when her libido overcame her.**

 **"Please take what is yours alone, Joan. I need you so. Oh, God! I need you!"**

 **And they both trembled and cried out as Joan took the initiative and climbed onto him, taking him this way. They both lost it as they rotated together joyfully. The period of forced abstinence had created such need in them that in just a few minutes they found themselves at the summit again, both of them shaking and gasping, unable to hold themselves back from that ultimate moment. It was winter and the brownstone was chilly, but they were both sweating profusely as they went over the precipice together, blinded momentarily by the brightness exploding in their brains.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock! Baby! I'm seeing stars!" Joan cried out as she was seized with spasms deep in her belly.**

 **"Oh, yes, Joan! I love you!" Sherlock gasped as his pelvis jerked upward to release his semen to her and his eyes rolled back into his head in a paroxysm of rapture.**

 **Joan collapsed in surrender upon his chest, panting his name and they just clung to each other and suddenly they were sobbing for joy.**

 **"Joan . . . Joan, I have loved you from that first day. I didn't want to fall in love with you but, but my heart stood still when I saw you. I couldn't help myself. And I had been so lonely before you came here. Please don't let me lonely like that again. I need to see you, smell you, taste you, hear your voice every single day of my life."**

 **"Yes, Sherlock, I knew it too. When I saw you there speaking those words to me, half naked with all those tattoos I wanted you. You looked like a half-crazed madman but I wanted you, Sherlock. I wanted you right then to lie down with me and put your semen inside me. Oh, Sherlock! Yes! Yes!"**

 **"Joan . . . Joan," Sherlock groaned as the sensation of her clasping him inside her again and again captured him. "I'm . . . I'm rebounding, Joan. Joan, your flesh . . . paradise in my arms . . . paradise."**

 **He turned Joan onto her back and when she wrapped her legs around his hips, he snorted passionately and they were gone again, rocking slowly for the next hour or so in the age old rhythm they knew so well, talking the intimate talk of lovers who never grew tired of declaring their love till finally Joan began to flutter in his embrace and dig her nails into his shoulders.**

 **"Sherlock!" She wailed softly. "I can't hold back any longer. Help me, Sherlock, baby! Take me over the top!"**

 **Sherlock smiled and kissed her all over her face as he watched her seized with a series of contractions that seemed to reduce her to jelly in his embrace before he cried out loud and with one last powerful thrust took both of them to nirvana once more so that they were finally sated, unable to do anything but sleep.**

 **When Joan wakened at noon, she simply sighed, so satisfied in her flesh that she just smiled to herself, remembering. Sherlock had left their bed so she got up, showered and dressed completely for the first time in weeks. Sherlock had bought her several expensive bras in her new size that could also be used for nursing when the baby came. And he had laid out her underthings for her as he loved to do.**

 **She put on the red brassiere and was thrilled to see that she nearly filled the generous DD cups and had cleavage as well, as she regarded herself in the bedroom mirror. She pulled a black sweater over and put on a long black skirt that she knew Sherlock loved, sans knickers at his request. She only wore them outside the home or when they had company since they had married. She left her hair down because Sherlock loved it on her shoulders and down her back. It thrilled her so when, caught up in the throes of passion, Sherlock would loosen her hair in a frenzy. It seemed to excite him so to do that. She carefully shaved her legs and underarms but did not remove any other body hair because Sherlock loved her** ** _au naturel._** **In quiet intimate moments Sherlock loved to rest his cheek on the dark softness where her thighs came together.**

 **When she went into the kitchen, Sherlock was busy making a late brunch for them of eggs and steak. For a change coffee smelled good again to her and she knew that she was past morning sickness completely.**

 **Sherlock came to kiss her tenderly on her mouth and led her to her chair.**

 **"You are just in time. Everything is ready and I know your are famished. I feel like I could eat a dozen eggs after this morning," he teased, winking at her.**

 **They sat there eating everything in front of them and then they sat back reflecting on their situation.**

 **"I spoke to Gregson this morning and he has work for us whenever you feel well enough to return."**

 **"That's good. I feel ready, Sherlock."**

 **"Of course there is the matter of your safety. You are carrying a precious wee one and must not be in any danger. How would you feel about leaving the field work to me for the next few months?"**

 **"All right. I will think about that. I have to be responsible, don't I? I'm going to be a mum."**

 **Joan blushed slightly and smiled proudly, patting her barely evident belly and then rubbing it.**

 **"You are quite amazing, Joan. You blush and act like a shy virgin when we discuss certain things when we are not 'involved,' let us say, but you in reality are one sexy wench. That is so charming to me now, but before we got together I was always wondering if you felt as strongly about me as I did about you. You could seem so calm, cool, and collected, luv."**

 **"I have always been so self-conscious about people thinking that I am some kind of sex addict or something."**

 **"You are just naturally 'hot,' luv, and it is a beautiful thing to see when you get going. Now there you go blushing like a virgin lassie again!" Sherlock softly exclaimed reaching to touch her cheek with his hand. "It's our secret between ourselves. I'm glad no one else knows how hot you are but me."**

 **"Well, my mother knows. I never knew, but do you know what she told me when we spent the weekend with her recently? She had noticed how we were so caught up in each other and she said that she was glad I had found you because you could handle the 'yin,' my sex drive."**

 **"Yes, luv, I know what the yin is," Sherlock smiled as he said it.**

 **"Yes, you do, don't you? My mother is seventy years old and she confided In me that her sex drive is so strong that she and my stepfather have to have sex every day or she is frantic for it! My mother was too shy to even explain the facts of life to me when I reached puberty, but times have changed. She said to me, 'sometimes you just have to screw all day, Joan! She was very satisfied to hear you say that you would take care of the 'moon grotto.'"**

 **Sherlock broke up in laughter at this revelation.**

 **"And she assured me that having a baby would not change anything."**

 **"So you quite honestly inherited your lovely libido, thank you very much."**

 **"And where did you get yours, Sherlock? You are amazing, you know."**

 **"I don't know really. I have those** **Badjan** **genes from Geoffrey Durity and I now realize my generous proportions probably came from his side of my heritage which would account for the evident disparity between Mycroft and me in that department. As to temperament, my mother obviously loved the man she loved."**

 **"Geoffrey said that he always brought joy to her bed. You bring me joy every single time, Sherlock, and it's not something as simple as your magnificently beautiful phallus. It is so much more than that. It is in the intensity of your words when you make love to me, your incredible passion when you are overwhelmed in my arms, the way you make sure that you bring me unspeakable pleasure every single time you take me as your woman."**

 **Now it was Sherlock's turn to blush in the face of Joan's frank assessment of his gifts and he had difficulty continuing to speak.**

 **"L-Let's go up to the roof to let the bees know you . . . you are feeling so m-much better. We will go to see Gregson tomorrow."**

 **They went to the roof and sat watching the bees at work. Joan sat on Sherlock's lap as he continued their previous conversation.**

 **"My father had a mistress for years, a French woman who ran a call girl service in London for many years. Her name was Françoise Bouvier. The summer after my first year at university my father sent me to visit her for a month. It turned out to be an amazing training for me. She was quite a woman. She took me to her bed and when it was over, there was nothing I did not know."**

 **"You had sex with your father's mistress! Sherlock!"**

 **"To him she was no more than a high class whore that he was buying for me, all a part of my proper British upbringing, you see. I was an impressionable young man, totally inexperienced. She taught me how to pleasure myself and any woman I was with as well as how to protect myself. There are no illegitimate little Sherlocks out there. The only woman I have ever had unprotected sex with is you. But she also introduced me to the concept of sadistic enjoyment of pain, which I deeply regret because I still suffer from the need for that from time to time. She did not help me become a moral man, Joan."**

 **"But you are a moral person now, concerned with right and wrong in every situation."**

 **"That I was not moral in sexual matters accounts for the way I took Mycroft's fiancée, just to prove a point. That was wrong of me. But I became moral when I fell in love with you and realized that I did not want another man to touch you here," Sherlock said, placing his hand upon the juncture where her legs came together. "That is why I resented what Mycroft did so much. And when you took Andrew, I tried to understand, but I didn't want him to touch you that way. Then it got to the point that I didn't want to use prostitutes any longer. I only wanted to be with you." He reached to touch his own crotch with his other hand. "I suddenly realized that I wanted to give this part of my body exclusively to you. I wanted carnal knowledge of you and only you."**

 **"Well, you know me now, Sherlock," Joan whispered to him.**

 **"I will never know it all, lassie. But I never want to stop learning, you are the only woman to ever massage my mandibular tori," Sherlock teased as he leaned forward to kiss her tenderly upon her mouth, wrapping her up in his arms. "How did you know they were there?"**

 **"As many times as we have kissed . . . I know everything that is in your mouth, baby. I know and love every crack and crevice of you."**

 **Sherlock smiled, realizing that Joan knew everything about him as no other woman in his life.**

 **"You are getting a chill, luv. Let's go inside."**

 **The air had turned quite chilly and when Joan shivered even though she was wearing her favorite heavy red cardigan, they got up to go back downstairs into the warmth of the brownstone.**

 **"I am so sleepy, Sherlock. I know it's part of carrying, but I have never been sleepy during the daytime like this."**

 **"Actually we were quite busy with each other this morning, luv. I fear that I was so involved that I may have worn you out. I will make a fire in the parlor and you can sleep on the sofa while I look over the case files that Gregson sent over."**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan tenderly, covered her with a blanket and set about making the fire. When he looked back at her, Joan was already fast asleep.**

 **As the weeks continued, Sherlock and Joan sought to balance their work as detectives with their need to develop as prospective parents. Joan was as enthusiastic as ever about their work solving cases but Sherlock became more and more concerned that her personal safety was an issue, worrying that she might be injured somehow or get caught in the crossfire in some situation, especially as he watched her belly continue to swell and she became so evidently pregnant. This was not lost on Gregson either and he decided to speak on the matter to both of them after a suspect grabbed Joan when being questioned at the precinct and tried to take her as a hostage. Joan had kicked the man in his shins and gotten free, but the incident terrified Sherlock.**

 **Later after the dust had settled Gregson went to check on Sherlock and Joan in one of the interrogation rooms where they had sought privacy after the assault. Sherlock sat with his arms around his wife, stroking her and patting her to calm her.**

 **"I am so sorry this happened," Gregson stated. "We should have anticipated the possibility of something like this happening. You are pregnant, Joan. From now on you do paperwork. You do not question suspects and I think that you should recuse yourself from those aspects of our work that involve direct contact with suspects till you have safely delivered your baby. I am sure that you concur, Sherlock."**

 **"I do. I cannot have Joan or our baby in danger. There is too much at stake here." He spoke to Joan now. "Luv, you know I can't put you at risk. I just can't do that. I can't have you in the same room with suspects during interrogations. You understand, don't you?"**

 **Joan nodded. She was shaken, very conscious of her pregnant state and her need to protect the baby she carried. Just that morning she had experienced the first sensation of movement of the baby she carried.**

 ** _Sherlock and Joan had been sitting at breakfast in their kitchen before leaving to work at the precinct. She was just beginning her fifth month and really showed and was unable to wear her normal skirts any longer. Sherlock had bought her several knitted skirts that she now paired with sweaters for everyday wear. This morning she had put on a jade green sweater with a black knitted skirt that clung beautifully to her, outlining her pregnant belly, highlighting the fullness in her breasts. She got up to take her cup to get more coffee and Sherlock watched her just enjoying watching her when she stopped dead in her tracks and caught her belly._**

 ** _Sherlock jumped up from his chair in alarm._**

 ** _"Darling, what's wrong?"_**

 ** _"I felt it. Our baby moved! Oh, Sherlock, our baby is moving!" She said, beginning to cry for joy._**

 ** _Sherlock fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her hips, pressing his face to her baby bump._**

 ** _"Oh, God! Is it true? Joan, woman, are you sure?"_**

 ** _"Yes, baby, I felt it move. I am so happy," Joan said, wiping the tears that had flooded her eyes._**

 ** _Sherlock had picked her up in his arms and carried her to the sofa in the parlor and laid her down on it. Sherlock pulled up her sweater and pushed down her skirt so that he could rub her belly all around and plant kiss after kiss there, declaring his love for Joan and for the babe in her belly. Finally he just laid his head on her baby bump as Joan ran her fingers through his crisp chestnut hair._**

 **This event had only emphasized the change in their situation and Joan did not resist the change that now became necessary in her work. She knew that the baby she carried was her first priority now.**

 **"Sherlock, please take me home. Tommy, I appreciate your concerns and Sherlock and I will make the necessary adjustments."**

 **Joan and Sherlock took a taxi home and said very little during the ride. Sherlock rested his hand on Joan's baby bump as he did most times these days, taking ownership in the proprietary way that he did quite naturally. Joan never minded his asserting himself this way because she knew that just as much as Sherlock owned her, she owned Sherlock, lock, stock and barrel; and when she merely rested her hand on his thigh in her own special way, he became putty in her hands, useless for anything except to be loved.**

 **"You know that I need you in our work, Joan. Your vast knowledge of certain subjects, your ability to sort out and analyze matters the way you do. You can continue to do these things from the brownstone or occasionally from behind the safety glass of an interrogation room. I can no longer do this work without you, Joan."**

 **Joan smiled up at Sherlock. She knew that an adjustment had to be made.**

 **"So I will become your typical pregnant housewife, sending my husband off to work in the morning," she quipped. "You'd better behave yourself."**

 **"I will admit I will miss being able to steal away with you for a bit of 'Afternoon Delight,' but I will have to wait till I get home."**

 **Sherlock leaned over to kiss Joan tenderly on her mouth and Joan suddenly hugged him tightly and they both almost lost control of the moment as Sherlock pulled her up onto him in his lap.**

 **"Take me home and take care of me, Sherlock."**

 **The taxi pulled up to the brownstone and they disentangled themselves so they could exit the car. Sherlock guided Joan up the steps and into their home. When they stepped inside, Sherlock caught her up in his arms and this time his kiss was obvious in its intent.**

 **"Yes, Sherlock, yes!"**

 **Sherlock carried Joan into their bedroom and they quickly undressed each other and lay down together. There was no question as to what they were about now as Sherlock kissed her all over her face and breasts and belly. They were caught up completely in their love for each other as they came together as man and woman.**

 **Recent events had only intensified the depth of their feelings and they desperately needed to reaffirm all the emotions that were running back and forth between them. The matter with Shinwell and his untimely death had greatly disturbed Joan. And then Sherlock's not being with her for his service, after promising that he would be there had resulted in their biggest argument since they had become a couple. Sherlock was still trying to atone for this with Joan. He had been somewhat off the mark during the whole Shinwell case and he still wasn't totally himself and had not been able to confide in Joan his discomfiture in recent weeks.**

 **Joan was wakened from their afternoon romp by the sound of glass breaking. She immediately went to find Sherlock and found him in the library in the midst of broken furniture, incoherent, in the midst of a seizure.**

 **"** **Oh, God, Sherlock! What's wrong?"**

 **He was unable to respond and Joan knew that she was witnessing a neurological event of some sort. She called 911 and soon they were on their way to Brooklyn Presbyterian Hospital where he was whisked away to be examined in their emergency room.**

 **The kindly neurosurgeon, Dr. Zonenstein came to her about two hours later and explained his medical situation.**

 **"** **We are admitting your husband. He has a meningioma, a brain tumor that is pressing on an area in his cerebrum. These tumors are generally not malignant, but this one must be removed to relieve the pressure on his brain which is causing the problems he is having now, the seizures and hallucinations."**

 **"** **I understand. I am a physician." Joan's voice broke. "He cannot have opioids of any kind because he is a recovering addict."**

 **"** **Well, Dr. Holmes,I want you to remain as calm as possible. Am I discerning that you are pregnant? If so, it is very important that you remain as calm as possible to protect your baby."**

 **"** **Yes, I am pregnant—five months now. I know I must remain calm. But you must take care of my husband. He is a brilliant man. Please take care of his brain. I need to see him."**

 **"** **You can see him, but we have him somewhat sedated due to the seizures he was experiencing."**

 **Joan went in to see Sherlock with much trepidation.**

 **"** **Sherlock . . . I . . . I am so sorry, baby. You have a benign tumor. They are going to do a surgery and you will be better. Please know that I love you so."**

 **"** **Don't let them hurt my . . . brain," he whispered with difficulty. "Please don't let them take my mind."**

 **Three hours later the surgery was over and Joan saw him in the recovery room, his head swathed in bandages, still unconscious, but Dr. Zonenstein assured her that he had come through just fine and that after forty-eight hours they would bring him out of the induced coma, which they did.**

 **Sherlock's recovery went very smoothly and less than two weeks later he was released from hospital to return home. He was still quite weak from his ordeal, his cheeks even more hollow and gaunt, his gait a bit unsure, but he had survived his ordeal.**

 **Joan made a fire and ensconced him in his favorite chair and proceeded to make him tea, which he appreciated very much. They sat together, holding each other and realized how thankful they were that he was alive.**

 **"** **I missed you so much, Joan. You know that, don't you?"**

 **"** **I missed you too. I wouldn't know what to do with myself without you."**

 **"** **I think I need to go to bed. I am still so weak. Will you please come to bed with me, Joan? I cleared it with the doctor. There is no prohibition on activity of the sort that I have need of. I just lack energy, luv."**

 **It was the middle of the afternoon but they got up and went to their bedroom. Joan helped Sherlock undress and helped him into bed. Then she undressed for him as he watched with his eyes full of his desire for her. Finally Joan lay down with him and they began to kiss, first tenderly, but then Sherlock's kisses became more and more impassioned.**

 **"** **Please don't tire yourself, Sherlock. Let me pleasure you. Let me do the work."**

 **"** **I love you so, Joan. Please just touch me the way that you do. I missed being with you so. I am in such need. My testicles are so full."**

 **"** **I know. I know, baby," Joan murmured softly. "That is why I am here."**

 **Joan continued to kiss her Sherlock as she lay beside him, his face and then his chest, nipping and sucking tender kisses all the way down his body and then when she addressed his need directly, he groaned and then cried out in ecstasy and his eyes rolled back into his head and his whole body went rigid at the moment he began to ejaculate and then he just collapsed except for his pelvis that continued to jerk in spasm till he was finally still.**

 **"** **Thank you, luv . . . thank you," he sobbed gratefully.**

 **Joan lay across his torso and he just stroked her, running his hands through her long hair that was strewn across him. Finally, when he was able to speak again, he lifted her head so that their eyes could meet.**

 **"** **Joan, I know you are in need. I . . . I am not a selfish man. Please will you climb up onto me and take what you need from me today? It is fair to say that that part of me is working fairly true to form. I just lack the energy to put it into play in those thrusts that seem to please you so."**

 **Joan smiled tenderly and climbed up onto him and claimed him for herself.**

 **She wanted and needed him so much and the sensation of being one with him again so excited her that she began to cry for joy as she moved in rhythm upon him till she was satisfied as well and fell upon him when her own brain exploded in those blue and pink lights of orgasm and Sherlock quite literally passed out in happy exhaustion when the moment of release seized him again.**

 **Joan wrapped herself around Sherlock, drew the covers up over them and buried her face between his muscular shoulder blades and they fell asleep.**

 **The next few days Joan attended carefully to him and Sherlock gained his strength back. His eyes brightened considerably when he took out his memory boxes and realized that his prodigious memory was still intact. His sexual energy rebounded quickly and they found that realizing that every time they came together was a moment to be thankful for made each sexual encounter even more precious to both of them.**

 **Four weeks later at the six month mark Joan had her appointment for ultrasound imaging of the baby she was carrying. They were giddy in anticipation of seeing the baby in utero. Joan was regularly feeling the movements now and they were both thrilled at the confirmation of the life there. Additionally Joan's belly seemed to growing larger every day as she went into her seventh month.**

 **Sherlock was entranced at the sight of her becoming so obviously pregnant, loving nothing more than lying in bed with her every night assuring her of his love, being in ecstasy on her as his passion for her was only fueled to a fever pitch at the sight of her carrying his child.**

 **As they sat in the ultrasound examination room and were shown the image of the life inside moving inside Joan and they both began to cry for joy.**

 **"Dear God! Joan, look at . . ."**

 **". . . him, Sherlock. That is your son's penis quite visible on the right," the technician said.**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, look at our baby! Look at our baby!"**

 **They were transfixed upon seeing their wee one wiggling in Joan's womb. It was a day they would never forget as long as they lived.**

 **"Could you please give us a private moment?" Sherlock asked the technician.**

 **"Of course. Nothing is scheduled in this room for the next half hour."**

 **As the door closed, Sherlock caressed Joan's bare belly all over with his hand as he kissed her mouth passionately.**

 **"You are so beautiful like this, luv, so beautiful!" Sherlock kissed her swollen full breasts over and over, sucking her nipples as Joan moaned softly. His hand slipped down to touch her intimately.**

 **"Just the thought that my member came into you here and planted my seed deep inside you and has resulted in this leaves me quite totally gobsmacked."**

 **Sherlock hugged her tightly and they kissed so passionately that Joan could hardly catch her breath.**

 **"Take me home, Sherlock. I want you to have your way with me. That is all I want, Sherlock."**

 **"I'll help you dress, luv. Let me dress you," Sherlock said as he helped her pull her sweater over her belly, then helped her off the table so that she could put her skirt on as well.**

 **They were presently able to leave the doctor's office carrying their photo of their little boy.**

 **During the seventh and eighth month of her pregnancy, Joan suddenly began to grow much faster. It was late spring and she wore her pregnancy gladly as she walked with Sherlock in their neighborhood.**

 **As she entered her ninth month, her belly became so full that her navel ruptured. Sherlock first noticed this when he was helping her shower.**

 **"Joan, your navel has literally turned outward."**

 **He sat on the edge of the bathtub and kissed her belly and its ruptured navel over and over and then her breasts as the warm spray of the shower fell upon both of them as Joan held on to him for support, overwhelmed by his amorous exploration of her body as he helped her with her shower.**

 **"Your body is like gorgeous ripe fruit, leaking sweet juice, ready to drop from the tree."**

 **Joan's breasts were so heavy that they were beginning to drip at this point and she could hardly turn over in bed without Sherlock's assistance and she was thankful that he had taken off completely from any work with the NYPD so that he could be with her constantly at this late stage of her pregnancy.**

 **Their young friend Carlos had become a frequent visitor to their household and very useful to them at this point in Joan's pregnancy. He was available to help in many ways and along with Mrs. Hudson, they anxiously anticipated the birth of the Holmes baby.**

 **"Mr. Holmes, is Dr. Watson all right?" Carlos was fascinated at the way Sherlock was taking care of Joan during her pregnancy.**

 **"I am quite nervous, Carlos, seeing her in such a state and knowing that I am responsible for her circumstance. The most brilliant woman becomes helpless to protect or defend herself when she is gravid."**

 **"Gravid?" Carlos queried.**

 **"So advanced in pregnancy that she can hardly move without difficulty-gravid. My woman is gravid, Carlos. You never impregnate a woman without being in position to protect her when she is in such a vulnerable state. A real man must never forget that, Carlos."**

 **Carlos had seen Sherlock and Joan in tender moments and he was in constant wonderment as he watched the passionate interplay between them. The stiff Brit he saw on most occasions seemed to melt when he was around Joan in the brownstone. And Joan blushed helplessly when Sherlock gently touched her hips in that intimate familiar way he so often did. And nowadays when he watched Sherlock gently caress Joan's belly as he sat in deep conversation with her, Carlos was deeply affected.**

 **The last two weeks of Joan's pregnancy she let Sherlock take care of her completely. Her belly had outgrown her maternity clothes and she just wore a bra to support her heavy breasts and panties topped off with a series of colorful voluminous silk caftans for modesty in her situation. The baby boy she carried became increasingly active, kicking and squirming inside her and this exhausted her as well.**

 **Sherlock got into bed with Joan and reached for the jar of special crème made with beeswax and royal jelly that he had concocted for her and gently massaged her belly with it as he had nearly every night since her belly began to stretch to accommodate her pregnancy.**

 **"You are determined that I will not have stretch marks, aren't you?"**

 **Joan spoke softly as Sherlock applied the crème to her, kissing her belly all over, whispering to their baby constantly as he kicked and moved inside her in this late stage of pregnancy.**

 **"You are incredibly lovely like this, your belly stretched like smooth satin to accommodate our wee one."**

 **Sherlock kissed Joan passionately opening up her mouth so that he could possess it completely and then his lips found her full breasts and suckled gently as she moaned softly, clasping his stubbled cheeks to her there.**

 **Finally Sherlock turned her so that he could lie close to her against her back, embracing her belly. He found himself wanting her as a woman as intensely as he ever had and Joan was generous with him, wanting him just as badly, and realizing his need for her as he gently sought sexual relief at this time.**

 **"I love you so, woman. You are so beautiful like this, so full to bursting with life in your belly."**

 **"Oh, Sherlock, I am so heavy . . . how much longer can I go like this?"**

 **Sherlock buried his face in her thick long hair and found her neck and shoulders and kissed them over and over, murmuring her name, inhaling the scent of her, mingled with her perfume, totally aroused by her. Their legs tangled easily as Sherlock adjusted his position to join his flesh to hers and Joan's helpless gasps of pleasure in that moment greeted his passionate moans as they connected, crying out to each other. He was deep inside Joan, lost in his passion for her, making love to her with his arms around her caressing and rubbing her huge belly, nipping the tender skin of her neck and shoulders, gently squeezing her full breasts.**

 **"Joan, you are my queen, so beautiful, your belly so full . . . Woman!"**

 **"Sher. . . lock, hold me, Sherlock!"**

 **Joan reveled in Sherlock's expert attention to her in her condition and gave herself completely to him, as they became totally lost in each other in the age old rhythm of coitus.**

 **"I love you so, Sherlock . . . so much . . . Oh, baby . . . yes, yes!"**

 **"Yes, luv . . . take it easy. It's amazing. . . amazing. You're . . . so very full . . . so lush, so full of our wee one."**

 **"Don't hold back, Sherlock. Don't hold back from loving me, baby! Oooh! Ooooh, I can't stop the spasms from coming!"**

 **Sherlock began to grunt and snort like a wild horse when he suddenly felt spasms begin deep inside her and then he felt his own body go rigid against hers as he cried out her name in the moment his ejaculate began to spurt from him.**

 **Sherlock gently turned Joan onto her back, comforting her as she continued to experience passionate spasms in Sherlock's arms as he kissed her tenderly all over her breasts and belly and then upon her mouth, a deep open-mouthed kiss, that left her breathless.**

 **After a while Sherlock got up from their bed and got a soft soapy washcloth and carefully cleaned his wife of the efflux from their intimate moments.**

 **"Sherlock, you don't have to do that," she murmured.**

 **"I know, but you belong to me . . . all your beautiful hind parts. Let me take care of you, luv. You are in no condition to take care of yourself right now, but you generously continue to bring me unspeakable pleasure."**

 **He then covered Joan and lay back down next to her, holding her hand as she drifted off to sleep.**

 **Two days later Joan got up to relieve herself during the night and she felt the first twinge of labor pains. She sat on the toilet in the bathroom, trying to assess what was happening to her. Sherlock had awakened when she got up and he came to check on her when she did not immediately come back to bed.**

 **"Is everything all right, luv?" Sherlock asked as he came upon her in the bathroom where she sat on the toilet holding her belly.**

 **"I think I may be in labor, Sherlock."**

 **Sherlock immediately became agitated.**

 **"We should get you ready to go, Joan," he said moving to help her up.**

 **When she stood up, she immediately bent over and cried out in pain as amniotic fluid began streaming down her legs.**

 **"Lord, Joan, your water has broken!" Sherlock was alarmed.**

 **"Help me, Sherlock, I think the baby is coming really!"**

 **Sherlock lifted Joan up in his arms and carried her across to the bedroom near the bathroom where they had been sleeping during the later stages of her pregnancy and laid her on the bed.**

 **Joan watched him pull his sweat pants over his nakedness as she waited for the next labor pain. In two minutes she cried out again.**

 **"Sherlock, I am not going to make it to the hospital. Please get those towels in the closet and help me."**

 **"You can't have the baby here! We have to get you to hospital!" Sherlock was calling 911.**

 **"I won't make it. The baby is coming . . . now. Aaaah! Aaaaah!"**

 **Joan cried out and gripped her thighs and began to bear down as the baby pushed its way down into the birth canal. Less than a half hour had passed and Joan was in full labor. Sherlock was beside himself with anxiety pushing towels under Joan.**

 **"** **Help me, Sherlock! Hold my legs so that I can push my baby out! I have to get this baby out of me."**

 **Sherlock climbed onto the bed and held Joan's legs so that she could push. She was crying now, sweating profusely, and in the full throes of labor, the covers thrown back, all modesty gone as the labor accelerated.**

 **"Sherlock! Aaaaah!" Joan cried in agony as she felt her pelvis open for her baby. "It's hurting me. The pains are . . . so bad!"**

 **Sherlock could see the head of the baby now literally opening Joan up.**

 **"God, the baby. . . Joanie . . . I see his head! Dear God! Help us."**

 **"Eeeeehyah! Eeeeehyah!"**

 **With two sharp keening wails, Joan pushed and the fat baby popped out into Sherlock's hands and Joan fell back exhausted upon the pillows as the placenta slipped out afterward.**

 **The baby in Sherlock's hands began to cry lustily and Sherlock wrapped him in one of the towels to dry him, crying himself for the joy of what he had seen, kissing his infant son.**

 **"He's beautiful, Joan! Look at him!"**

 **Sherlock placed the baby in Joan's arms and she just examined him in wonder as Sherlock put the placenta aside. Joan put the baby boy to her breast and as he began to suckle eagerly, Joan smiled a special triumphant smile just for Sherlock.**

 **"Thank you, Sherlock . . . Thank you for Geoffrey Morland Holmes. Thank you for our beautiful baby boy."**

 **Sherlock bent to kiss Joan's lips tenderly and smooth her hair back from her forehead as the sound of the doorbell announced the arrival of the ambulance to take them to hospital.**

 **Sherlock went to the door to admit the EMT's and announced, "My wife has just given birth and we are in dire need of some assistance," before fainting dead away right in front of them.**


End file.
